Ultrasonography of Leg Veins in Patients Suspected of Having Pulmonary Embolism
Authors: Arnaud Perrier
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1998)

Letters1 February 1998Ultrasonography of Leg Veins in Patients Suspected of Having Pulmonary EmbolismArnaud Perrier, MD and Henri Bounameaux, MDArnaud Perrier, MDGeneva University Hospital; CH-1211 Geneva 14, Switzerland and Henri Bounameaux, MDGeneva University Hospital; CH-1211 Geneva 14, SwitzerlandAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-128-3-199802010-00015 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR:In their study on the diagnostic utility of lower-limb venous compression ultrasonography in patients suspected of having pulmonary embolism [1], Turkstra and colleagues found that ultrasonography had a sensitivity of 29% (95% CI, 22% to 37%) and a specificity of 97% (CI, 94% to 99%). On the basis of these results (a low sensitivity and a suboptimal positive predictive value), they conclude that "compression ultrasonography should be used with great caution in patients suspected of having pulmonary embolism."We disagree with that conclusion on several grounds. First, the low sensitivity may be explained by the inclusion of ...References1. Turkstra F, Kuijer PM, van Beek EJ, Brandjes DP, ten Cate JW, Buller HR. Diagnostic utility of ultrasonography of leg veins in patients suspected of having pulmonary embolism. Ann Intern Med. 1997; 126:775-81. Google Scholar2. Perrier A, Desmarais S, Goehring C, de Moerloose P, Morabia A, Unger PF, et al. d-dimer testing for suspected pulmonary embolism. Am J Resp Crit Care Med. 1997; 156:492-6. Google Scholar3. Value of the ventilation/perfusion scan in acute pulmonary embolism. Results of the prospective investigation of pulmonary embolism diagnosis (PIOPED). The PIOPED Investigators. JAMA. 1990; 263:2753-9. Google Scholar4. Perrier A, Buswell L, Bounameaux H, Didier D, Morabia A, de Moerloose P, et al. Cost-effectiveness of noninvasive diagnostic aids in suspected pulmonary embolism. Arch Intern Med. 1997; 157:2309-16. Google Scholar5. Perrier A, Bounameaux H, Morabia A, et al. Diagnosis of pulmonary embolism by a decision analysis-based strategy including clinical probability, d-dimer levels, and ultrasonography: a management study. Arch Intern Med. 1996; 156:531-6. Google Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: Geneva University Hospital; CH-1211 Geneva 14, Switzerland PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited ByComment faire le diagnostic d'une embolie pulmonaire ?Canadian Society of Thoracic Radiology/Canadian Association of Radiologists Best Practice Guidance for Investigation of Acute Pulmonary Embolism, Part 1: Acquisition and Safety ConsiderationsDiagnóstico clínico y radiológico de la tromboembolia de pulmón2019 ESC Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of acute pulmonary embolism developed in collaboration with the European Respiratory Society (ERS)2019 ESC Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of acute pulmonary embolism developed in collaboration with the European Respiratory Society (ERS)Thrombophilic Gene Mutations in Relation to Different Manifestations of Venous Thromboembolism: A Single Tertiary Center StudyThe role of cardiovascular ultrasound in diagnosis and management of pulmonary embolismTécnicas de imagen diagnósticas empleadas en la presentación aguda de la enfermedad tromboembólica venosaDeep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism in the military patientDiseases of the thoracic aorta and pulmonary arteries2014 ESC Guidelines on the diagnosis and management of acute pulmonary embolismDuplex Ultrasound in the Diagnosis of Lower-Extremity Deep Venous ThrombosisManaging pulmonary embolism from presentation to extended treatmentPulmonary Vascular DiseaseAcute and Chronic Pulmonary Embolism: An In-depth Review for Radiologists Through the Use of Frequently Asked QuestionsVenöse ThromboembolieOptimizing management of venous thromboembolism: Diagnosis, treatment, and secondary preventionGuías de práctica clínica sobre diagnóstico y manejo del tromboembolismo pulmonar agudoGuidelines on the diagnosis and management of acute pulmonary embolismReproducibility of multi-detector spiral computed tomography in detection of sub-segmental acute pulmonary embolismThe Search for Deep Vein ThrombosisContemporary Diagnostic Algorithm for the Hemodynamically Stable Patient With Suspected Pulmonary Embolism 1 February 1998Volume 128, Issue 3Page: 243KeywordsEmergency departmentInpatientsLungsOutpatientsPositive predictive valuePulmonary diseasesPulmonary embolismSpecificityUltrasound imagingVeins Issue Published: 1 February 1998 CopyrightCopyright © 1998 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF DownloadLoading ...