title: Thermography and plethysmography, a non-invasive alternative to venography in the diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis.
abstract: One plethysmographic and two thermographic methods were evaluated against venography in 102 patients with suspected deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Seventy-one patients had venographically verified DVT, which in 21 cases was restricted to the calf. Plethysmography (PG) gave a sensitivity and specificity of 63% and 94%, respectively. The former was influenced by a limited sensitivity of 14% in the sub-group with distal DVT. The sensitivity and specificity of temperature profiles (TP) were 87% and 39%, respectively, while the corresponding values for thermo-camera (TC) were 83% and 55%, respectively. Using a combined diagnostic approach of PG and TP, additional evaluation of posterior and lateral profiles and pattern recognition, 96% sensitivity and 81% specificity were reached. The combination of PG and TP will be an essential diagnostic complement when venography is not possible or inconclusive, as well as having a role in diagnostic screening in a large number of patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Holmgren
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jacobsson
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Johnsson
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Löfsjögård-Nilsson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010690:Phlebography; D010991:Plethysmography / Q000379:methods*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D013817:Thermography / Q000379:methods*; D013924:Thrombophlebitis / Q000175:diagnosis*