Radiology
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Gottlieb, R. H.
Right arrow Articles by Robinette, W. B.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Gottlieb, R. H.
Right arrow Articles by Robinette, W. B.
(Radiology. 1999;211:25-29.)
© RSNA, 1999

Ultrasonography

Clinically Important Pulmonary Emboli: Does Calf Vein US Alter Outcomes?1

Ronald H. Gottlieb, MD, Jani Widjaja, MD, Sonu Mehra, MD and William B. Robinette, MS, RDMS, RVT

1 From the Department of Radiology, University of Rochester Medical Center, 601 Elmwood Ave, Box 648, Rochester, NY 14642. Received June 18, 1998; revision requested July 28; revision received August 19; accepted October 7. Address reprint requests to R.H.G.

PURPOSE: To assess whether calf imaging is necessary to identify patients at risk for developing clinically important pulmonary emboli (PE) or propagation of calf deep venous thrombosis (DVT) when the initial thigh ultrasonographic (US) scan is negative for DVT.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The authors retrospectively evaluated the radiology reports from 283 patients (168 female and 115 male patients; mean age, 55.7 years; age range, 1–93 years) in whom US was performed to rule out lower extremity DVT. In all patients, the initial thigh examination was negative for DVT. All patients were classified as to the reason for the examination, risk factors for DVT (including recent surgery), whether they received anticoagulation therapy, and findings on calf US scans. Adverse outcomes were considered a clinically important PE or DVT in the thigh.

RESULTS: Only 1.1% of patients (95% CI = 0.2%, 3.1%) had adverse outcomes. Adverse outcomes occurred only in postsurgical patients (P = .028) and were not related to the presence or absence of calf DVT or method of treatment.

CONCLUSION: US of the calf is unnecessary at initial evaluation to identify patients at risk of clinically important PE or propagation of DVT into the thigh.

Index terms: Embolism, pulmonary, 60.72 • Extremities, thrombosis, 93.77 • Extremities, US, 93.1298




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 RadioGraphicsHome page
J. K. Pahade, D. Litmanovich, I. Pedrosa, J. Romero, A. A. Bankier, and P. M. Boiselle
Quality Initiatives: Imaging Pregnant Patients with Suspected Pulmonary Embolism: What the Radiologist Needs to Know
RadioGraphics, May 1, 2009; 29(3): 639 - 654.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 RadiologyHome page
S. P. Kalva, J. P. Jagannathan, P. F. Hahn, and S. T. Wicky
Venous Thromboembolism: Indirect CT Venography during CT Pulmonary Angiography--Should the Pelvis Be Imaged?
Radiology, February 1, 2008; 246(2): 605 - 611.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 ANGIOLOGYHome page
F. Ferrara, F. Meli, C. Amato, V. Cospite, F. Raimondi, G. Novo, and S. Novo
Optimal Duration of Treatment in Surgical Patients With Calf Venous Thrombosis Involving One or More Veins
Angiology, August 1, 2006; 57(4): 418 - 423.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 J Ultrasound MedHome page
R. Bernstein, N. Haim, B. Brenner, G. Sarig, G. Bar-Sela, and D. Gaitini
Venous Sonography for the Diagnosis of Asymptomatic Deep Vein Thrombosis in Patients With Cancer Undergoing Chemotherapy
J. Ultrasound Med., May 1, 2004; 23(5): 655 - 658.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Emerg. Med. J.Home page
K. Hogg and A. Ashton
Antithrombotic treatment of below knee deep venous thrombosis
Emerg. Med. J., July 1, 2003; 20(4): 364 - 365.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Am. J. Roentgenol.Home page
R. H. Gottlieb, S. L. Voci, L. Syed, C. Shyu, P. J. Fultz, D. J. Rubens, J. G. Strang, N. Carson, W. J. DiGrazio, and C. W. Francis
Randomized Prospective Study Comparing Routine Versus Selective Use of Sonography of the Complete Calf in Patients with Suspected Deep Venous Thrombosis
Am. J. Roentgenol., January 1, 2003; 180(1): 241 - 245.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 RadioGraphicsHome page
D. S. Katz, P. A. Loud, D. Bruce, A. M. Gittleman, R. Mueller, D. L. Klippenstein, and Z. D. Grossman
Combined CT Venography and Pulmonary Angiography: A Comprehensive Review
RadioGraphics, October 1, 2002; 22(90001): S3 - 19.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Am. J. Roentgenol.Home page
K. Garg, J. L. Kemp, D. Wojcik, S. Hoehn, R. J. Johnston, L. C. Macey, and A. E. Baron
Thromboembolic Disease: Comparison of Combined CT Pulmonary Angiography and Venography with Bilateral Leg Sonography in 70 Patients
Am. J. Roentgenol., October 1, 2000; 175(4): 997 - 1001.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 RadiologyHome page
M. D. Cham, D. F. Yankelevitz, D. Shaham, A. A. Shah, L. Sherman, A. Lewis, J. Rademaker, G. Pearson, J. Choi, W. Wolff, et al.
Deep Venous Thrombosis: Detection by Using Indirect CT Venography
Radiology, September 1, 2000; 216(3): 744 - 751.
[Abstract] [Full Text]