ROLE OF RADIONUCLIDE VENOGRAPHY IN THE DETECTION OF PROXIMAL DEEP-VEIN THROMBOSIS - A PROSPECTIVE COMPARATIVE-STUDY

The role of radionuclide techniques in the investigation of thromboemb olic disease has been reevaluated. Forty-eight patients suspected of h aving embolic lung disease (PE) or deep venous thrombosis (DVT) were s tudied prospectively and investigated with radionuclide venography and ventilation/perfusion lung scintigraphy. Thirty-two also underwent co ntrast venography and peripheral Tc-99m-labelled red blood cell scinti graphy. Both radionuclide techniques were compared to each other and a gainst the 'gold-standard'. The overall agreement and disagreement rat es were 89 and 11% for radionuclide venography and 88 and 12% for radi onuclide blood pool venography. The overall sensitivity and specificit y were 90 and 73% for radionuclide venography and 88 and 82% for radio nuclide blood pool venography. The blood pool technique did not perfor m better than radionuclide venography which was valuable in the detect ion of DVT and confirmation of PE. Radionuclide venography appears use ful especially in patients suspected of having PE and DVT.