HEREDITARY-DEFICIENCY OF PROTEIN-C, PROTEIN-S AND ANTITHROMBIN-III

It is estimated that 5% of patients with deep vein thrombosis and 50% of those with recurrent thrombosis have an inherited abnormality of co agulation, most commonly deficiency of protein C, protein S or antithr ombin III. These disorders should be suspected when venous thrombosis occurs in a young person, if there is a family history of thrombosis, if thrombosis occurs at an unusual site or if there is recurrent throm bosis with no predisposing factors. Affected patients are treated with lifelong anticoagulation therapy. Thromboembolism and its sequelae of ten produce abnormal findings on radiologic examinations, and therefor e the radiologist who is familiar with these abnormalities is in a pos ition to be the first to suggest the diagnosis.