SONOGRAPHICAL INVESTIGATIONS IN THE DIAGN OSIS OF DEEP VENOUS THROMBOSIS

Acute deep venous thrombosis of the leg is an often observed and a pot entially lethal disease due to the complication of pulmonary embolism. It presents with a wide range of symptoms varying between distinct si gns of venous obstruction and very mild congestion. Since the validity of the clinical examination is unreliable, imaging should always be c arried out in case of suspected thrombosis. This paper describes the u se of continuous wave Doppler sonography, B-mode sonography, duplex so nography and colour-coded Doppler sonography when diagnosing a thrombo sis. It also compares the validity of these methods at several topogra phical locations with phlebography. Overall, for experienced examiners B-mode compression sonography and colour-coded duplex sonography can be recommended as a key investigation in diagnostics of deep vein thro mboses. Only findings of dubious value in the iliac, femoral or calf v eins require a venography to confirm or exclude a clinical suspicion o f deep vein thrombosis.