THE ACCURACY OF COLOR DOPPLER FLOW IMAGING FOR THE DETECTION OF SYMPTOMATIC DEEP VENOUS THROMBOSIS IN CHINESE PATIENTS

To evaluate the ability of color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI) to detect deep venous thrombosis (DVT), which is difficult to diagnose clinical ly, 67 limbs of 60 patients who presented with clinical signs strongly indicative of DVT during the period between June 1988 and June 1992, were examined, The iliac, common femoral, and superficial femoral vein s were assessed with the patient in the supine position, and the popli teal vein was examined with the patient prone, Gentle but firm compres sion with the transducer probe was used to test for the presence of DV T, Ascending contrast venograms were also obtained within 24 h after t he ultrasound procedure, with venography being used as the standard fo r comparison with CDFI, DVT was identified in 63 limbs by contrast ven ography and in 62 limbs by CDFI. The sensitivity and specificity of CD FI were 98.4% and 100%, respectively, while the positive and negative predictive values were 100% and 80%, respectively, The thromboses were classified into three patterns: the filling type, the local type, and mural thrombus, detected in 63%, 27%, and 10%, of the limbs respectiv ely, with the filling type being the most common in this series, The r esults of our study illustrated that CDFI is highly sensitive and spec ific for detecting symptomatic DVT and that it should be gradually sub stituted for venography in such patients.