Doppler ultrasound in evaluating the localization and severity of peripheral vascular occlusive disease.

We studied 150 arterial Doppler examinations on 150 patients by obtaining segmental pressures and the analogue wave tracings, and comparing the ankle/arm index to the arteriograms. Each limb was divided into iliofemoral, femoral, popliteal, and trifurcation segments. Of the 793 segments interpreted as normal by arterial Doppler, 758 were confirmed, with 96% true-negative and 4% false-negative results. Of 364 segments shown by arterial Doppler to be abnormal, 328 were confirmed by the arteriogram, ie, 90% true-positive and 10% false-positive results. Thus, a total of 1,157 segments were studied, with 94% correlation with the arteriogram in localizing the peripheral vascular occlusive disease. The ankle/arm index is helpful in determining the severity of the disease. The majority of patients with an ankle/arm index of 0.6 to 0.8 have significant disease. An index of less than 0.6 is indicative of severe disease.