Ultrasound for deep venous thrombosis

  • Patient preparation: none
  • Contrast used: none
  • Technique: linear transducer, do the normal extremity first to establish a baseline
  • Images to obtain:
    — Transverse non-compression and compression grayscale and color doppler images starting at the groin all the way down the lower extremity from the common femoral vein (CFV), superficial femoral vein (SFV) to the popliteal vein (PV)
    — Transverse spectral doppler images without and with augmentation at the levels of the CFV, SFV, and PV
    — Sagittal images with spectral and color doppler at the levels of the CFV, SFV, and PV
    — When examining the abnormal side, attempt to look as deep into the pelvis as you can in an attempt to visualize the iliac veins and the inferior vena cava
  • Looking for: non-compressibility and lack of augmentation of a vein implies thrombosis
  • Post procedure tasks: none