The diagnosis of aortoiliac disease. A noninvasive femoral cuff technique.

An inexpensive femoral "cuff" developed in this noninvasive vascular laboratory allows pulse volume recordings and systolic pressure measurements of the femoral arteries. Using the parameters 1) femoral/brachial systolic pressure ratio, 2) wave amplitude, and 3) status of the dicrotic notch for assessment of results, it was found that the cuff correctly identified 59 of 62 limbs with at least 50% aortoiliac stenosis, with only two false-positive results, for an accuracy of 97%. The high, wide thigh cuff identified 57 of the 62 limbs, but had 45 false-positive results (77% accuracy). Use of the femoral "cuff" has refined the ability to identify the anatomic location of significant arterial stenoses in the lower extremities.