Diagnosis of deep-vein thrombosis with sodium pertechnetate

Sodium pertechnetate was used to image venous thrombosis in the legs of 20 patients with clinical signs of deep-vein thrombosis. The rate-of-uptake ratios and the activity ratios at 3 min and 4 hr after the injection were calculated. Venography was used as a standard. Discrimination, as well as agreement with venography, was highest for the ratios obtained 4 hr after injection, in which case there were ten patients with a pathologic activity ratio and with venographic signs of thrombosis in the leg with increased uptake. There were six with a normal activity ratio and no venographic signs of thrombosis, but one patient had a normal ratio and abnormal venography.