EVALUATION OF THE DIAGNOSTIC EFFECTIVENESS OF ULTRASONOGRAPHY (US) IN DETECTING FEMORAL VEIN THROMBOSIS.

Deep veins in the lower extremities are the primary route for venous flow, and deep vein thrombosis (DVT) can lead to lower extremity issues like swelling. If left untreated, it may lead to pulmonary embolism (PE). DVT affects 2.5% to 5% of the population at some point in their lives. More than 50% of DVT patients develop postthrombotic syndrome (PTS) within two years, characterized by leg pain, swelling, skin discoloration, or venous ulcers. Therefore, prompt diagnosis and appropriate treatment for DVT are essential. The aim was evaluation of the diagnostic effectiveness of ultrasonography (US) in detecting femoral vein thrombosis. Over a 4 years, a group of 210 patients with suspected femoral vein thrombosis underwent US examination. The femoral veins were evaluated in fasting patients using color Doppler imaging (1st study). In cases when the femoral veins were completely or partially obscured, the examination was repeated 1-3 days after repreparation (2nd study). All patients were examined using the ultrasound machine equipped with linear 6-12 MHz and convex 3.5 MHz probes. B-mode imaging and Doppler and B-flow options were applied. In one-third of cases, femoral vein US does not provide a definitive diagnosis. Repeat examination following appropriate preparation significantly increases the effectiveness of femoral vein US imaging. US examination allows for the visualization of floating clots in femoral veins and the qualification of patients for filter implantation procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]