title: [Value of plain abdominal radiography for evaluating the patency of LGM caval filters].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the value of plain abdominal X-Ray to detect vena Tech LGM filter occlusion or patency during follow-up.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-nine patients were followed in a prospective study for 2 to 6 years after vena Tech LGM filter implantation. The control examination consisted in a clinical examination, a plain abdominal X-Ray (to measure expansion index = diameter/height of the filter and to detect migration and angulation) and a Doppler ultrasonography and/or a cavography to appreciate filter patency.
  
  
  RESULTS
  175 plain abdominal X-Ray, 172 Doppler ultrasonographies and 28 cavographies were done. Sensitivity and specificity of retraction to suspect a filter obstruction were respectively: 82.3% and 86.1%; if expansion index was lower or equal to 0.34 its sensitivity and specificity were 100% and 92.1%. The negative predictive values of retraction and of the association retraction-migration to exclude a filter obstruction were 85.1% and 96%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Absence of migration or retraction on plain abdominal X-Ray during the follow-up is highly predictive of filter patency. This limits the use of Doppler ultrasonography and cavography.
authors.affiliation: Radiologie Thoracique CHU Nantes, Hôpital Guillaume et René-Laënnec.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Trogrlic
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brunel
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ferry
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Crochet
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000601:surgery; D011860:Radiography, Abdominal; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013923:Thromboembolism / Q000601:surgery; D016306:Vena Cava Filters / Q000009:adverse effects