Proceedings – 19th International Conference – IEEE/EMBS Oct. 30-Nov. 2, 1997 Chicago, IL
Is DVT Excluded by Normal Thermal Imaging? – An Outcome Study of 700 Cases.
Harding, J. Richard; Barnes, Kathryn M.; Department of Clinical Radiology, St Woolos Hospital, Glan Hafren NHS Trust, Newport, Gwent, U.K. In view of the many advantages compared with venography or Doppler ultrasound, and the ability to avoid the necessity for over one third of these investigations, thermal imaging should be considered the initial investigation of choice in clinically suspected DVT, proceeding to venography or Doppler ultrasound only when thermal imaging is positive. There are risks and disadvantages to the most commonly utilised conventional tests for DVT, over one third of which examinations can be avoided by performing thermal imaging as the initial investigation, which excludes DVT when normal. This outcome study followed up patients with clinically suspected DVT who were not further investigated or treated following normal thermal imaging, and showed that no patients developed PE (pulmonary embolism) following normal thermography with no further investigation for DVT and withholding of anticoagulant therapy