Diagnosis of limbs and neck arterial trauma using duplex ultrasonography.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate duplex ultrasonography for diagnosis of arterial trauma in limbs and neck.

METHOD

Fifty-one wounds in 47 patients, with indication for arteriography, were prospectively studied and grouped according to the presence (PCS group: 21 wounds, 41.2%) or absence (ACS group: 30 wounds, 58.8%) of clinical signs of arterial injury. All underwent duplex ultrasonography and arteriography.

RESULTS

Arteriography disclosed arterial injury in 21 wounds, of which 19 were visualized by duplex ultrasonography. In the other 30 wounds neither methods disclosed any arterial injury. The sensitivity of duplex ultrasonography was 90.5%, the specificity was 100% and the accuracy was 96.1%. In PCS group duplex ultrasonography showed 14 injuries (93.3%) and one false-negative result, and in ACS group, five injuries (83.3%) and one false-negative result in the ACS group.

CONCLUSIONS

Duplex ultrasonography reproduces the results of arteriography as a non-invasive diagnostic method in trauma of the limbs and neck.