Predicting deep venous thrombosis in pregnancy: external validation of the LEFT clinical prediction rule.

The assessment of clinical probability represents an important step in the diagnostic strategy of patients with suspected deep vein thrombosis. The recently derived LEFt clinical prediction rule for pregnant women combines three variables: symptoms in the left leg (L), calf circumference difference of 2 centimeters or over (E for edema) and first trimester presentation (Ft) but is lacking an external validation. The LEFt rule was computed among pregnant women with suspected deep vein thrombosis who were included in a multicenter prospective diagnostic management outcome study.

Bilateral thenar hammer syndrome.

Background: Thenar hammer syndrome is a very rare condition that mimics rheumatic diseases such as carpal syndrome tunnel, Raynaud's phenomenon, and hand synovitis.

Objective: To describe the sonographic presentation of thenar hammer syndrome in a typical patient.

Methods: Grey-scale sonography and colour Doppler imaging of the hands with an iU22 scanner (Philips) were performed.

Computer-assisted venous thrombosis volume quantification.

Venous thrombosis (VT) volume assessment, by verifying its risk of progression when anticoagulant or thrombolytic therapies are prescribed, is often necessary to screen life-threatening complications. Commonly, VT volume estimation is done by manual delineation of few contours in the ultrasound (US) image sequence, assuming that the VT has a regular shape and constant radius, thus producing significant errors. This paper presents and evaluates a comprehensive functional approach based on the combination of robust anisotropic diffusion and deformable contours to calculate VT volume in a more accurate manner when applied to freehand 2-D US image sequences.

Ascribing leg symptoms to chronic venous disorders: the construction of a diagnostic score.

Objectives: The goal was to create a simple diagnostic scoring system able to differentiate leg symptoms related to chronic venous disorders (CVD) from those produced by other causes.

Methods: A prospective observational study was done of ambulatory or hospitalized patients from 13 private and five institutional vascular centers. Two groups of patients with leg symptoms were investigated.

Ultrasound assessment of salivary glands in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome treated with rituximab: Quantitative and Doppler waveform analysis.

Objectives: Noninvasive objective tests are needed to diagnose primary Sjogren's syndrome (pSS) and to evaluate treatment responses. Ultrasound imaging of the salivary glands is rapid and noninvasive. Recent open-label studies suggested that anti-CD20 (rituximab) may be effective in pSS.

Diagnostic value of a negative single complete compression ultrasound of the lower limbs to exclude the diagnosis of deep venous thrombosis in pregnant or postpartum women: a retrospective hospital-based study.

Objective: We aimed at determining whether a negative single complete compression ultrasonography (CUS) of the lower limbs veins is a safe and accurate diagnostic method to rule out the diagnosis of deep venous thrombosis in pregnant and early postpartum women.

Design: Hospital-based retrospective study.

Setting: The gynaecology and vascular ultrasound units of three general hospitals in western France.

Concordance rate differences of 3 noninvasive imaging techniques to measure carotid stenosis in clinical routine practice: results of the CARMEDAS multicenter study.

Background And Purpose: To replace digital subtraction angiography (DSA) in carotid stenosis evaluation, noninvasive imaging techniques have to reach a high concordance rate. Our purpose is to compare the concordance rates of contrast-enhanced MR angiography (CEMRA) and CT angiography (CTA) with Doppler ultrasound (DUS) in clinical routine practice.

Methods: We evaluated prospectively with DUS, CEMRA, and CTA 150 patients suspected of carotid stenosis.

High prevalence of asymptomatic deep vein thrombosis on admission in a medical unit among elderly patients.

The prevention of venous thromboembolism in medical patients remains questioned. All consecutive outpatients admitted in our medical unit were considered for inclusion in this study which aimed to estimate the prevalence of asymptomatic venous thrombosis on admission and the incidence during hospital stay. Exclusion criteria were: age <18 years, suspicion of venous thromboembolism, stay <4 days, ongoing anticoagulant therapy.