[Femoral hernia: diagnosis with B-image, duplex and color-coded Doppler ultrasound]

The diagnosis of femoral hernias depends on the recognition of their clinical features. In many cases femoral hernias were incorrectly diagnosed. B-Scan ultrasonography, duplex- and colour-coded Doppler sonography were used to diagnose a femoral hernia in a 60-year old female patient who developed a groin lump after femoral artery puncture. The diagnostic procedure could easily differentiate between haematoma, pseudo-aneurysm, arteriovenous fistula and femoral hernia by the characteristic Doppler spectrum and colour coding. B-Scan ultrasonography, duplex- and colour-coded Doppler sonography can accurately detect femoral hernias and should be routinely used in patients with any kind of groin lump.