DIAGNOSTICS OF THE POSTTHROMBOTIC SYNDROM E BY ULTRASOUND SCANNING

Comparison of colour-coded Doppler sonography, CW-Doppler and real tim e sonography in the diagnostics of the postthrombotic syndrome. Method Colour-coded Doppler sonography, CW-Doppler and real time sonography were studied in 40 legs with postthrombotic syndrome, confirmed by phl ebography. In a further step deep veins of patients with primary varic osis (n=40) and a group with normal veins (n=40) where compared with t he postthrombotic group (n=40). Results The sensitivity of CW-Doppler was 71.2 % and that of real time sonography 67.5 %, their specificity 92.3 % and 92.2 %, respectively, while colour-coded Doppler sonography had a sensitivity of 90.9 % and a specificity of 88.9 %. In addition, colour-coded Doppler sonography in combination with measurement of th e peak velocity of venous reflux in deep veins had the highest sensiti vity with 92.8 % and specificity with 95.4 % of all ultrasound methods tested. By means of colour-coded Doppler sonography together with mea surement of the peak velocity of venous reflux, healthy persons and pa tients with varicosis could be distinguished with high significance (p < 0.003) by a peak velocity of venous reflux of more than 10 cm/s. Co nclusion In comparison to real time sonography and CW-Doppler, quantit ative analysis of reflux in the deep veins by means of colour-coded Do ppler sonography is the most valid ultrasound method in the diagnosis of postthrombotic syndrome.