DUPLEX ULTRASOUND SCANNING FOR CHRONIC VENOUS DISEASE .1. TECHNIQUES FOR EXAMINATION OF THE CRURAL VEINS

Objective: To describe a practical technique to reliably find and stud y crural veins by duplex ultrasound scanning. Design: Prospective scan ning of patients referred for evaluation of possible chronic deep veno us insufficiency. Setting: A non-invasive vascular diagnostic laborato ry in Melbourne, Australia. Patients: A study of 1340 legs in 917 cons ecutive patients referred with primary or recurrent varicose veins, or for evaluation of possible deep venous disease causing aching or swel ling in the legs. Interventions: Examination of the crural veins by du plex ultrasound scanning.Main outcome measure: Identification of all t hree sets of crural veins. Results: Rates for detecting the posterior tibial, anterior tibial and peroneal veins were 97%, 92% and 91% respe ctively and all three were observed in 91%. If the last 1227 legs stud ied by colour-Doppler duplex ultrasound are considered, the rates for detection were 98%, 96% and 96% respectively. Conclusion: Examination of the crural veins can be a part of routine duplex ultrasound scannin g in patients referred with suspected venous disease.