Ultrasonographic elastography for evaluation of deep venous thromboses of lower members: prospective analysis

Abstract

Deep vein thrombosis is the leading cause of preventable in-hospital deaths in the world. It consists of the obstruction of the light of the vein(s) of the deep system by a thrombus, often in the lower limbs, due to a hemostatic imbalance. There are several risk factors for its development, which can be symptomatic or asymptomatic. The diagnostic suspicion has low sensitivity, requiring confirmation by some imaging method, such as ultrasound, the method of choice. However, in some situations, the differentiation between acute or previous processes is necessary, which constitutes a difficulty with current tools. Therefore, ultrasound elastography is a non-invasive imaging technique that can enable the characterization of the thrombus, which can be associated with its age and can optimize the therapeutic success and prognosis of DVT. Objectives: prospective assessment of the elastographic pattern of the thrombus in patients with deep venous thrombosis, correlating the value of thrombus stiffness with the temporality and variables of the pathology. Method: longitudinal, prospective, controlled, regional, and single-center study, based on data collection from patients treated in a quaternary hospital, diagnosed with the first episode of non-recanalized deep vein thrombosis and under anticoagulant treatment, submitted to Doppler ultrasonography between 01 August 2021 and August 1, 2022. The total number of patients included in the study will be reached by a convenience sample within the proposed period and clinical and ultrasound assessments will be carried out on the day of diagnosis and after 7, 30, 90, 180, and 360 days. The results will be tabulated and analyzed using the chi-square test to assess the correlation between independent variables. The confidence interval will be calculated for quantitative variables. (AU)