Deep vein thrombosis - the role of ultrasound in the diagnosis and follow-up of patients.

Abstract

Deep vein thrombosis still represents a challenge regarding the diagnostics, treatment and follow-up. All this steps are often performed in the internal medicine ambulatory centers and such clinics therefore need to be aable to manage the whole process. Its key part is vascular sonography, which is needed to establish the diagnosis, the form of thrombosis and proper treatment course. There are two types of vascular sonography - Point of Care a expert sonography, being performed in two different regimes (diagnostic and follow up sonography). There are different demands for each of these two types, and each type is performed by physicians with different level of expertise. There are well defined criteria for performance a conclusions made for each type, and their precise fulfillment leads to establishment of diagnosis of DVT, early treatment initiation and setting of optimal strategy following the baseline treatment period.