[Venous diseases of the lower extremities--methods and results of phlebography of the lower extremity--the superficial and deep systems].

The vena saphena magna is the most important arterial vascular substitute in today's vascular surgery. That is why modern varicose vein surgery is performed very carefully and cautiously with an aim to preserve the vessels as much as possible. This can be done only if the radiologist visualises both the healthy and the diseased superficial and deep venous systems as completely and a easily appreciable as possible when diagnosing varicosis. It is not enough to merely produce contrast images of the deep venous system when attempting to clarify varicosis via phlebography. The conditions obtaining at the points where the great saphenous vein and the small saphenous vein open into the femoral and popliteal veins, respectively, must be clearly visible. The maximum possible number of insufficient venae perforantes must be shown and the side branches of the great saphenous vein that have undergone varicose changes, must be visualised. It goes without saying that the deep venous system must be shown in a manner that it can be safely assessed. An extended thrombosis of the deep veins of the leg and pelvis does not present any diagnostic pitfalls when assessing the phlebogram. On the other hand, a beginning deep leg thrombosis is easily overlooked. Phlebographically it is quite difficult to clarify a relapsing thrombosis. This requires detailed knowledge of the patterns of signs in deep leg vein thrombosis.