Abstract

Objectives: We assessed the role of routine abdominopelvic ultrasonography (APUSG) in patients with deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

Patients and Methods: The study included 212 patients (105 men, 107 women; mean age 55.2±16 years; range 7 to 75 years) who were treated for DVT between January 1999 and 2004 in Cardiovascular Surgery Department of Medical Faculty of Trakya University.

Results: In our study, the incidence of malignancies in these patients was 9.9%, the most common being gynecologic (33.3%) and lung (28.5%) malignancies. Gastrointestinal (14.3%), urological, intracranial, and breast malignancies (4.8%) were less common. Fifteen patients had a malignancy before hospitalization. On admission, a gynecological malignancy was diagnosed in six patients (3%) with APUSG. The mean age of patients with a malignancy was 57±10 (35-72 years), with a male to female ratio of 10/11. Gynecological malignancies involved the uterus (n=4), ovary (n=2), and vulva (n=1). All gastrointestinal system malignancies were in the colon. Of urological malignancies, two were of renal localization (hypernephroma) and one was in the prostate gland. Lung malignancies included small cell lung cancer (n=4) and epidermoid cell cancer (n=2). In one young female patient, APUSG showed a six-week fetus in the endometrial cavity.

Conclusion: In patients with DVT, detection of a mass with APUSG may alter the treatment plan. More importantly, APUSG may enable early detection of the pathology, and thus, early initiation of the treatment.