BACKGROUND Duplex ultrasound (DUS) is performed by the majority of physicians after endovenous ablation (EVA) of the great saphenous vein to screen for endovenous heat-induced thrombosis (EHIT) at the saphenofemoral junction extending into the femoral vein. Several factors should be considered in assessing the value and cost of routine DUS after EVA: the natural history of EHIT is poorly define...

OBJECTIVES This cross-sectional study aimed to individually and cumulatively compare sensitivity and specificity of the (1) ankle brachial index and (2) pulse volume waveform analysis recorded by the same automated device, with the presence or absence of peripheral arterial disease being verified by ultrasound duplex scan. METHODS Patients (n=205) referred for lower limb arterial assessment u...

BACKGROUND Although duplex ultrasound surveillance of patients after carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is routinely performed, the use of this policy has been questioned. We evaluated the cost-effectiveness of this strategy. METHODS Using a decision-analytic Markov model that depicts the natural history of patients after CEA, we compared a strategy of duplex ultrasound surveillance to a strategy o...

OBJECTIVE To determine cost-effectiveness of surveillance with duplex ultrasound for thromboembolic disease in individuals with acute traumatic spinal cord injury at admission to rehabilitation. DESIGN In this retrospective sequential case series study, individuals with traumatic spinal cord injury admitted to our rehabilitation facility between July 1, 1988, and December 31, 1998, were ident...

Background and Purpose: Data from recent multicenter carotid endarterectomy trials have questioned the validity and reliability of Doppler ultrasound in the assessment of carotid stenosis. Methods: We prospectively analyzed 45 patients undergoing carotid angiography to compare the North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial (NASCET) and European Carotid Surgery Trial (ECST) methods ...

To evaluate venous reflux in 56 lower limbs of 32 consecutive patients, hemodynamic tests, ascending and descending phlebography, and supine and erect quantitative duplex scanning were performed and the clinical severity was classified (class 0 = 15, class 1 = 19, class 2 = 8, and class 3 = 14). Of the 56 lower limbs, 22 (40%) had severe swelling and hyperpigmentation with or without ulcer (cla...

The duplex scan is the main tool used to diagnose carotid artery stenosis, and there is agreement that it might be the single preoperative diagnostic test. All limitations of carotid duplex scanning should be taken into consideration during qualification to surgical or endovascular treatment. Awareness of these limitations is especially important when neurological symptoms are typical and duple...