[Diagnosis of deep leg vein thrombosis with color-coded duplex sonography and sonographic determination of the duration of the thrombosis].

In a prospective study, 188 patients with suspected deep venous thrombosis were examined by color-coded duplex sonography. In 114 patients the diagnosis of deep venous thrombosis was based on the criteria of 1) compressibility, 2) blood flow changes during compression, and 3) pelvic level during Valsalva maneuver. In all patients the results were compared with data from contrast venography. Venography was performed by an investigator, who was blinded to the prior findings. Sensitivity and specificity of the color-coded duplex sonography in diagnosing deep vein thrombosis were 96% and 97%, respectively. In the other 74 patients, in which the diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis was made by phlebography and/or ultrasound, a follow-up by color-coded duplex sonography was performed to determine the age of thrombosis. Criteria considered to determine the thrombus age included 1) margin of the vessel, 2) echogenicity; and 3) venous diameter. In 20 patients the results were compared to the age of thrombus that had been determined by histologic criteria (group I). In 54 patients the results were compared with the age that had been determined by patient history and symptoms (group II). A significant correlation was found between the age of thrombosis and the venous diameter (p less than 0.001). When thrombosis was less than 10 days old, the venous diameter was at least twice that of the diameter of the accompanying artery. The two other criteria, echogenicity and margin of the venous wall, however, did not prove to be accurate criteria to determine the age of deep venous thrombosis.