Arterial mapping with Duplex ultrasound: diagnostic-therapeutic strategy in patients with critical lower-limb ischemia

Aim. Arteriography is the gold-standard in decision making in patients with critical lower-limb ischemia. Such method is not bereft of side effects and only gives morphologic information about lesions. Duplex allows to evaluate hemodynamically the arteriosclerotic lesions of ischemic lower limbs non-invasivelly and with the same reliability, in some studies, as angiography. Aim of this study was to determine the value and safety of arterial ultrasonic mapping in decision making for treatment of critical lower-limb ischemia. Methods. This was a prospective and comparative study in patients with critical lower-limb ischemia recruited from March 2005 to June 2006. Ultrasonic arterial mapping was performed in 130 patients. Arteriography was performed only in those patients with elevated risk of major amputation or if ultrasound was not feasible (44 patients). Patients were randomized into two groups according to decision making criteria: 1) group A based on mapping alone; 2) group B based on arteriography. There was no statistical difference between risk factors in the two groups (P>0.05). Cumulative patency was recorded and compared at one and three months (Log Rank) as well as degree of concordance of decision making using mapping and arteriography in the group with both tests (B); and degree of concordance of the two tests with decision making based on intraoperative findings. Results. The degree of concordance between mapping and arteriography was 84.1% (P<0.0001), and the degree of concordance between mapping and arteriography with respect to final decision according to intraoperative findings was 93.1% and 97.7%, respectively (P<0.0001). There were no statistically significative differences in patency rates at one and three months between the two groups (P>0.05). Conclusion. Ultrasonic arterial mapping is sufficient and comparable to arteriography for purposes of decision making in patients with critical lower-limb ischemia. [Int Angiol 2009;28:209-14]