FULL-DOSE AND HALF-DOSE KLEAN-PREP PRODUCE CLEARER IMAGES WITH ILIAC DUPLEX EXAMINATION THAN PICOLAX

Objectives: Iso-osmotic bowel preparation (Klean Prep) improves the ac curacy of iliac duplex examination and reduces the time of each examin ation. Full-dose Klean Prep entails 4 l of fluid. We studied the effec t of 2 l of Klean Prep (half-dose) and Picolax on image quality. Desig n: Prospective study comparing clarity of duplex examination after thr ee different bowel preparation regimes with that after 12 h starvation . Materials and Methods: Thirty patients underwent iliac duplex examin ation after 12 h starvation. Scans were scored subjectively for grey s cale and colour image quality, and Doppler signal-to-noise ratio. Pati ents were allocated blindly to: (a) full-dose Klean Prep, (b) half-dos e Klean Prep, ol (c) Picolax. After out-patient preparation, the scan was repeated and scored by the same observer, blinded to the preparati on. Results: Both full- and half-dose Klean Prep produced significant improvements in image quality for all three modalities; Picolax produc ed minimal change. There was minimal advantage of full-dose over half- dose Klean Prep. Patients preferred half-dose Klean Prep to full-dose. Conclusion: Klean Prep significantly improves the image obtained by i liac duplex examination; Picolax does not. Half-dose Klean Prep is an acceptable preparation to patients.