The resistive and pulsatility indices of the dorsal metatarsal artery for the screening of peripheral lower artery disease in patients with and without diabetes.

Background: In lower extremity peripheral artery disease (PAD), the ankle-brachial index (ABI) is an easily reproducible diagnostic tool for PAD, but it loses reliability when > 1.4 due to calcification of the vessel wall. Patients with diabetes are at higher risk for wall calcification.