DIAGNOSIS OF DEEP-VEIN THROMBOSIS, AN OVERVIEW

Because clinical signs and symptoms are unreliable the diagnosis of de ep vein thrombosis (DVT) should be objectified. Advantages and disadva ntages of contrast venography, plethysmography, ultrasound techniques, fibrinogen leg scanning, computer-assisted tomography, magnetic reson ance imaging and blood tests are discussed. In patients with a first e vent of suspected DVT non-invasive methods like serial plethysmography or ultrasound testing are sensitive and specific enough to make a tre atment decision. It is safe to withhold anticoagulants if the test rem ains normal within 1 week. In patients with suspected recurrent DVT ne w non-invasive techniques are being tested, but up to now the definiti ve objective diagnostic test continues to be contrast venography. In f irst period as well as in recurrent DVT D-Dimer testing could be an ad ditional test to exclude active thromboembolism.