Follow-up of patients with suspected venous thrombosis but negative radionuclide venography.
A retrospective review of the outcome of patients presenting to the district general hospital with suspected deep vein thrombosis (DVT) but normal radionuclide venogram. Of 387 scans, 141 (36%) were reported as positive, 81 (21%) as equivocal, and 165 (43%) as negative. The casenotes of 150 (91%) of those with negative scans were reviewed of which 124 were performed as part of the investigation of suspected DVT. During the next 3 months there were 13 DVTs and 7 with pulmonary emboli in this group, 4 of the latter proving fatal (confirmed at postmortem in 3). From a review of the initial clerking, the pre-venogram likelihood of DVT was graded as low in 54 (43%), medium in 23 (18%), and high in 45 (36%). DVT or PE occurred in none of those with a low probability, 9% of those with medium, and 38% of those with high probability. The results suggest that radionuclide venography is insufficient to exclude DVT when suspected clinically.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010690:Phlebography / Q000379:methods; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013668:Technetium Tc 99m Aggregated Albumin; D013924:Thrombophlebitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*
D013668:Technetium Tc 99m Aggregated Albumin