[Real-time sonography in deep thrombosis of the pelvic and leg veins. A prospective comparison to phlebography]

Abstract

Real-time B mode ultrasound is a well accepted diagnostic procedure in the non-invasive vascular examination. In a prospective study we examined 101 patients with clinical suspected deep vein thrombosis of the pelvis or leg using ultrasound and contrast venography within 24 hours and we compared the results of both examinations. All veins of the pelvis and lower extremities were scanned in transverse and longitudinal planes. 113 venograms were obtained; they demonstrated the presence of isolated proximal vein thrombosis in seven patients, seven isolated calf vein thromboses and 43 thromboses of both proximal and calf veins. The sensitivity of ultrasonography for detecting deep vein thrombosis in the proximal veins of the lower extremity was 98%, the specificity was also 98%. In the veins of the pelvis the sensitivity was 78%, the specificity 98% and in calf veins 60% and 97% respectively. The sensitivity for the detection of isolated calf vein thrombosis was only 14%. We conclude that ultrasonography has a very good sensitivity for detecting proximal vein thrombosis of the lower extremity and thrombosis of the pelvic veins. Phlebography remains the better method in detecting isolated calf vein thrombosis because of the difficult visualisation of the small calf veins by ultrasonography.