[The informativeness of ultrasonic scanning methods in obliterating diseases of the arteries of the lower extremities].

The authors studied the diagnostic possibilities of ultrasonic angiography and doppler sonography as compared to digital subtraction angiography. A total of 506 arterial segments was examined in 116 males suffering from various degree of atherosclerosis obliterans of the lower limb vessels. The coincidence of and disparity in the diagnosis were analysed on the aortoiliac and femoropopliteal levels according to three criteria: normal vessel, stenosis, occlusion. The diagnostic efficacy was appraised with the use of the Kapp index (K), the percentage of absolute coincidence of the diagnoses, sensitivity, and specificity. The precision of doppler sonography was found to be comparable with that of digital subtraction angiography. On the aortoiliac level K-0.68 +/- 0.06, on the femoropopliteal level K = 0.78 +/- 0.05. The diagnostic possibilities of ultrasonic angio-scanning were significantly lower. Thus, on the aortoiliac level K = 0.28 +/- 0.07, on the femoropopliteal level K = 0.4 +/- 0.05. Doppler sonography is therefore a reliable noninvasive method in the diagnosis of obliterating diseases of arteries of the lower limbs.