Scoring of extensive deep leg vein thrombosis displayed as wide-spread non-filling of contrast on phlebography - A comparison with colour Doppler ultrasonography

Purpose: To evaluate whether wide-spread non-filling of contrast in vein se gments, displayed on phlebography, is interpreted as deep venous thrombosis (DVT) on colour Doppler ultrasonography (CDU) and if the same score value is obtained. Material and Methods: Twenty consecutive patients were analysed by both phl ebography and CDU with a scoring system. Results: One hundred and fifty-one venous segments were initially analysed, but 19 (12.6%) were excluded because their entire extent could not be inte rpreted by CDU. The total score was 366 (mean 18.3) according to the phlebo grams and 298 (mean 14.9) when interpreted by CDU, p=0.0001. The difference was due mainly to the scoring of the anterior tibial vein found to be open on CDU in most cases, and then the thrombotic burden percentage was 84% an d 75%, respectively. In 19 of the 20 patients (95%) a DVT was confirmed by CDU. The great saphenous vein, the femoropopliteal vein, and the deep femor al vein, formed the main collateral circulation. Conclusion: Wide-spread non-filling of vein segments is due to an extensive DVT in the vast majority of cases. Scoring is possible by both phlebograph y and CDU and the difference in the results of the scoring is generally of minor importance.