Venous Thromboembolism: Role of Ultrasound in Diagnostic Imaging for DVT in Trauma

Published 2002

Level 1

Duplex ultrasound may be used to diagnose symptomatic trauma patients with suspected DVT without confirmatory venography.

Level 2

A Level II recommendations cannot be supported on this topic because of insufficient data.

Level 3

Serial duplex ultrasound imaging of high-risk asymptomatic trauma patients to screen for DVT may be cost-effective and may decrease the incidence of PE.[15][85-90]However, the use of ultrasound in screening asymptomatic patients is burdened by a low sensitivity when compared with venography.