A questionnaire revealed that nearly 40 000 examinations of clinically suspected deep venous thrombosis (DVT) were performed in Sweden in 2001, with a slight predominance of phlebographies. In about two thirds of all cases the deep muscle veins of the calf were included in the interpretation when phlebography was performed, but in less than one fifth when Doppler sonography (CDU) was used. In more than half of the cases a negative CDU was not followed by phlebograghy. On the other hand, the combination of CDU and phlebography was routinely used in nearly two thirds of all ambiguous cases. The interpretation of nonfiling of contrast medium in vein segments on phlebography varied from DVT to no DVT. Most of the phlebographies were performed with digital X-ray technique.
Notes
Comment In: Lakartidningen. 2002 Nov 21;99(47):477412523059