General Practitioner-performed Compression Ultrasound for Deep Vein Thrombosis

Precision and Diagnostic Accuracy of General Practitioner-performed Compression Ultrasound for Proximal Symptomatic Deep Vein Thrombosis

Numerous studies have demonstrated excellent diagnostic accuracy of Compression Ultrasonography (CUS) performed by hospitals doctors, skilled and unskilled in Radiology.

Recently, it was demonstrated that adequately ultrasonography-trained General Practitioners (GP) can perform reliable ultrasound to increase the speed and improve the quality of clinical management of various clinical conditions. To date, in the medical literature there are no studies that demonstrate the diagnostic accuracy of GP in performing CUS for the diagnosis of Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT). Therefore, we plan to perform a prospective, multicenter, cohort study in which a large number of consecutive outpatients with symptoms or signs of DVT are subject to the CUS by the GP with the aim of evaluating the precision and the diagnostic accuracy compared to specialists in vascular ultrasound, which in this case will be the standard of reference.

Inclusion Criteria:

• first episode of DVT of lower limbs

Exclusion Criteria:

• previous episodes of DVT
• ongoing anticoagulation
• age younger than 18 years
• pregnancy