Randomized prospective study comparing routine versus selective use of sonography of the complete calf in patients with suspected deep venous thrombosis.

Objective: We compared patient outcomes using two protocols: one routinely and the other selectively evaluating the calves completely during sonographic assessment of the lower extremities in patients with suspected deep venous thrombosis.

Subjects And Methods: In this randomized prospective study, patients were assigned to two groups. In one group, the deep calf veins were routinely evaluated in their entirety, and in the other group the calf was not evaluated unless the patient had symptoms or physical signs in the calf, in which case only the areas of symptoms or physical signs were evaluated.