Assessment of catheter placement and patency by color Doppler ultrasonography.

Catheter placement and follow-up, including patency check, usually is required in patients with serious conditions, who often cannot be brought to the Radiology Department for the procedure. In a series of 24 consecutive patients, we show the usefulness of color Doppler ultrasonography with its advantages of portable equipment, lack of ionizing radiation, improved catheter visualization, and ability to determine patency.