The diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis in the lower limbs by means of the transcutaneous Doppler ultrasound method.

The transcutaneous ultrasonic flow velocity meter was employed in 120 limbs in which the presence of deep vein thrombosis was suspected. In 115 of these limbs confirmation of the ultrasound findings was obtained by venography or 125I-fibrinogen scanning, or both. The overall accuracy rate of the ultrasonic method was 90%, with a 3% false positive and a 7% false negative incidence. It is concluded that the transcutaneous ultrasound technique provides a reliable, rapidly available, non-invasive method to confirm the diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis.