Clinical experience with upper extremity venous sonography in a high-risk cancer population Journal Article


Authors: Giess, C. S.; Thaler, H.; Bach, A. M.; Hann, L. E.
Article Title: Clinical experience with upper extremity venous sonography in a high-risk cancer population
Abstract: Objective. To determine the frequency of sonographically evident upper extremity venous thrombosis in symptomatic cancer patients with and without central venous catheters. Methods. Retrospective review of 573 consecutive upper extremity venous sonographic reports from a 26-month period was performed. Findings including distribution of venous thrombosis, the presence of a central line, cancer type, and miscellaneous findings were recorded. Results. Overall, 514 studies (90%) had satisfactory visualization of all upper extremity vessels; 53 (9%) had limited visualization of 1 or more vessels; and 6 (1%) were inconclusive. Venous thrombosis was present in 227 (40%) of 573 studies. Of the studies with positive findings, there were 186 acute, 13 chronic, 19 fibrin sheath versus nonocclusive, and 9 superficial thromboses. Central venous catheters were present in 325 (57%) of 573 studies. Sonographically evident thrombosis was present in 157 (48%) of 325 studies with central catheters versus 70 (28%) of 248 studies without central venous catheters (P = .001) Conclusions. Upper extremity venous thrombosis is common (40%) in symptomatic cancer patients and is nearly twice as frequent in cancer patients with indwelling central venous catheters.
Keywords: controlled study; retrospective studies; major clinical study; cancer patient; sensitivity and specificity; neoplasms; logistic models; tumors; vein thrombosis; echography; chi-square distribution; high risk population; patient treatment; ultrasonography, doppler; central venous catheter; sonography; catheterization, central venous; arm; vein; venous thrombosis; catheters; ultrasonic applications; cancer; humans; human; male; female; article; sonography, doppler studies; thrombosis, sonography; thrombosis, upper extremity veins; thrombosis, venous; doppler flowmeter
Journal Title: Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine
Volume: 21
Issue: 12
ISSN: 0278-4297
Publisher: Amer Inst Ultrasound Medicine  
Date Published: 2002-12-01
Start Page: 1365
End Page: 1370
Language: English
PUBMED: 12494978
PROVIDER: scopus
DOI/URL:
Notes: Export Date: 14 November 2014 -- Source: Scopus
Citation Impact
MSK Authors
  1. Ariadne Bach
    59 Bach
  2. Catherine S Giess
    11 Giess
  3. Lucy E Hann
    69 Hann
  4. Howard T Thaler
    245 Thaler