Duplex Ultrasound Scanning for Chronic Venous Disease: I. Techniques for Examination of the Crural Veins

Abstract

Objective:

To describe a practical technique to reliably find and study crural veins by duplex ultrasound scanning.

Design:

Prospective scanning of patients referred for evaluation of possible chronic deep venous insufficiency.

Setting:

A non-invasive vascular diagnostic laboratory in Melbourne, Australia.

Patients:

A study of 1340 legs in 917 consecutive patients referred with primary or recurrent varicose veins, or for evaluation of possible deep venous disease causing aching or swelling in the legs.

Interventions:

Examination of the crural veins by duplex ultrasound scanning.

Main outcome measure:

Identification of all three sets of crural veins.

Results:

Rates for detecting the posterior tibial, anterior tibial and peroneal veins were 97%, 92% and 91% respectively and all three were observed in 91%. If the last 1227 legs studied by colour-Doppler duplex ultrasound are considered, the rates for detection were 98%, 96% and 96% respectively.

Conclusion:

Examination of the crural veins can be a part of routine duplex ultrasound scanning in patients referred with suspected venous disease.