title: Doppler ultrasound venous mapping of the lower limbs.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The study aim was to test the accuracy (intra and interobserver variability), sensitivity, and specificity of a simplified noninvasive ultrasound methodology for mapping superficial and deep veins of the lower limbs.
  
  
  METHODS
  62 consecutive patients, aged 62 ± 11 years, were enrolled. All underwent US-examinations, performed by two different investigators, of both legs, four anatomical parts, and 17 veins, to assess the interobserver variability of evaluation of superficial and deep veins of the lower limbs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall the agreement between the second versus the first operator was very high in detecting reflux (sensitivity 97.9, specificity 99.7, accuracy 99.5; P = 0.80 at McNemar test). The higher CEAP classification stages were significantly associated with reflux (odds ratio: 1.778, 95% confidence interval: 1.552-2.038; P < 0.001) as well as with thrombosis (odds ratio: 2.765, 95% confidence interval: 1.741-4.389; P < 0.001). Thus, our findings show a strict association between the symptoms of venous disorders and ultrasound evaluation results for thrombosis or reflux.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrated that our venous mapping protocol is a reliable method showing a very low interobserver variability, which makes it accurate and reproducible for the assessment of the morphofunctional status of the lower limb veins.
authors.affiliation: Centro Diagnostica Globale and ASL-TA, Taranto, Italy.
authors.forename: Aldo Innocente
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Galeandro
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Quistelli
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Scicchitano
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gesualdo
authors.forename: Annapaola
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zito
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Caputo
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Carbonara
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Galgano
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ciciarello
authors.forename: Sandro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mandolesi
authors.forename: Claude
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Franceschi
authors.forename: Marco Matteo
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Ciccone
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000098:blood supply*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color; D014680:Veins / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014689:Venous Insufficiency / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*