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An anatomic source of false venous reflux with continuous wave Doppler
The Journal of Dermatologic Surgery and Oncology
|October 1, 1994
Summary
Continuous wave (CW) Doppler may misidentify venous reflux at vein junctions. Duplex ultrasound confirmed that some CW Doppler findings were anatomical variations, not true venous reflux.
Area of Science:
- Vascular Ultrasound
- Venous Diagnostics
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Continuous wave (CW) Doppler has limitations in assessing venous reflux, particularly distinguishing signals from multiple veins.
- Discrepancies observed between CW Doppler and duplex ultrasound in identifying venous reflux in specific regions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the anatomical origin of venous reflux signals initially suggested by CW Doppler but unconfirmed by duplex ultrasound.
- To clarify the diagnostic accuracy of CW Doppler versus duplex ultrasound in evaluating venous reflux.
Main Methods:
- Examined 551 lower limbs with primary or recurrent varicose veins.
- Utilized both CW Doppler and color-coded duplex ultrasound for comprehensive venous assessment.
- Compared findings to identify discrepancies in reflux detection.
Main Results:
- Duplex ultrasound found no reflux in 8% (44 regions) where CW Doppler indicated reflux.
- Identified two anatomical causes for misinterpretation: common junctions of superficial veins (25 cases) and descending veins (19 cases).
Conclusions:
- Bidirectional Doppler signals at venous junctions without incompetent veins can be misinterpreted as reflux.
- Emphasizes the importance of examining veins beyond the junction, including the vein stem, during Doppler assessments.