BACKGROUND: Compression ultrasonography is the most effective diagnostic tool in the emergency department (ED) for the diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). It has been demonstrated to be highly accurate and cost-effective. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine the accuracy of emergency physicians who performed three-point compression ultrasound (US) for suspected above-knee DVT within the context of using Wells score and D-dimer. METHOD: This was a prospective diagnostic test assessment of three-point ultrasound conducted in a district general hospital of patients who presented to the ED with suspected DVT of the lower limb. The accuracy of three-point ultrasound carried out by the emergency physicians was assessed by comparison of the Doppler ultrasound carried out by the Radiology Department as reference standard. The study incorporated ultrasound alongside the Wells score and D-dimer. RESULTS: A total of 109 patients (66.1%) had a three-point compression point-of-care ultrasound in the ED and a second ultrasound performed by the Radiology Department. Bedside three-point compression ultrasound of the lower extremity performed by physicians in the ED had a sensitivity of 93.2% (95% confidence interval [CI] 83.8-97.3%) and a specificity of 90.0% (95% CI 78.6-95.7%), with an accuracy of 91.7% (95% CI 85-95.6%). CONCLUSIONS: Emergency physicians can obtain a level of competence equivalent to that of radiologists, but it requires substantial training and practice to achieve and maintain this performance. Providers should be aware of their limitations and maintain regular training with ultrasound applications.
BACKGROUND: Compression ultrasonography is the most effective diagnostic tool in the emergency department (ED) for the diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). It has been demonstrated to be highly accurate and cost-effective. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine the accuracy of emergency physicians who performed three-point compression ultrasound (US) for suspected above-knee DVT within the context of using Wells score and D-dimer. METHOD: This was a prospective diagnostic test assessment of three-point ultrasound conducted in a district general hospital of patients who presented to the ED with suspected DVT of the lower limb. The accuracy of three-point ultrasound carried out by the emergency physicians was assessed by comparison of the Doppler ultrasound carried out by the Radiology Department as reference standard. The study incorporated ultrasound alongside the Wells score and D-dimer. RESULTS: A total of 109 patients (66.1%) had a three-point compression point-of-care ultrasound in the ED and a second ultrasound performed by the Radiology Department. Bedside three-point compression ultrasound of the lower extremity performed by physicians in the ED had a sensitivity of 93.2% (95% confidence interval [CI] 83.8-97.3%) and a specificity of 90.0% (95% CI 78.6-95.7%), with an accuracy of 91.7% (95% CI 85-95.6%). CONCLUSIONS: Emergency physicians can obtain a level of competence equivalent to that of radiologists, but it requires substantial training and practice to achieve and maintain this performance. Providers should be aware of their limitations and maintain regular training with ultrasound applications.
Authors: Ana Cristina Lopes Albricker; Cláudia Maria Vilas Freire; Simone Nascimento Dos Santos; Monica Luiza de Alcantara; Mohamed Hassan Saleh; Armando Luis Cantisano; José Aldo Ribeiro Teodoro; Carmen Lucia Lascasas Porto; Salomon Israel do Amaral; Orlando Carlos Gloria Veloso; Ana Cláudia Gomes Pereira Petisco; Fanilda Souto Barros; Márcio Vinícius Lins de Barros; Adriano José de Souza; Marcone Lima Sobreira; Robson Barbosa de Miranda; Domingos de Moraes; Carlos Gustavo Yuji Verrastro; Alexandre Dias Mançano; Ronaldo de Souza Leão Lima; Valdair Francisco Muglia; Cristina Sebastião Matushita; Rafael Willain Lopes; Artur Martins Novaes Coutinho; Diego Bromfman Pianta; Alair Augusto Sarmet Moreira Damas Dos Santos; Bruno de Lima Naves; Marcelo Luiz Campos Vieira; Carlos Eduardo Rochitte Journal: Arq Bras Cardiol Date: 2022-04 Impact factor: 2.000
Authors: Jorge Álvarez-Troncoso; Luis Ramos-Ruperto; Pelayo Fernández-Cidón; Elena Trigo-Esteban; Yale Tung-Chen; Carmen Busca-Arenzana; Manuel Quintana-Díaz; Antonio Buño-Soto; Francisco Arnalich-Fernández; Carmen Fernández-Capitán Journal: J Ultrasound Med Date: 2021-10-25 Impact factor: 2.754