RADIONUCLIDE LIMB BLOOD-FLOW MEASUREMENTS TO RESOLVE DIAGNOSTIC PROBLEMS IN VASCULAR-SURGERY

This paper describes the application of radionuclide limb blood flow m easurements in 60 patients presenting to the vascular surgeons with ex ercise-induced leg pain. All patients were considered to be diagnostic problems since either their symptoms were atypical for peripheral vas cular disease, or they had normal peripheral pulses and/or a normal an kle/brachial pressure index. Thirty-one patients were ultimately shown to have peripheral vascular disease and underwent treatment. In all t hese cases the limb blood flow to one or both legs was below the norma l range. Twenty-three patients were shown, by myelography, computed to mography or plain radiography, to have orthopaedic disease and in all cases their limb blood flow to both legs was within the normal range. In five patients, the limb blood flow was normal and the symptoms spon taneously resolved, no cause for the leg pain having been found (one p atient refused angiography). Radionuclide limb blood flow is a simple and reliable diagnostic test which is superior to the assessment of pe ripheral pulses or their ankle to brachial pressure index in resolving diagnostic problems in vascular surgery.