Document Type : Research Article
Abstract
Background: A common disorder that affects the arteries in the lower leg is peripheral arterial disease (PAD). The main contributing factor to occlusive arterial disease of the lower extremities is atherosclerosis. The care of individuals with peripheral vascular disorders includes a thorough assessment of the peripheral vasculature. In the current study, we evaluate peripheral artery disease of the lower limb using duplex ultrasound (DUS) and multidetector computed tomography angiography (MDCTA), and compare their effectiveness.
Methods: A total of 50 individuals with a clinical suspicion of peripheral artery disease of the lower leg participated in this prospective correlative longitudinal investigation. The first imaging modality used was duplex ultrasonography (DUS), which was followed by MDCT angiography. From the level of the common femoral artery to the level of the dorsalis pedis artery, the arteries were scanned. According to the degree of stenosis, the length of the stenotic segments, vessel wall calcification, and collateral circulation assessment, imaging data from DUS and MDCTA were compared.
Results: Over the course of two years, 50 patients with a mean age of 55.76 ±12.3 years (range: 36-74 years) were assessed. With a p-value <0.001, MDCT angiography's diagnostic accuracy outperformed Duplex Ultrasonography in both the detection of hemodynamically significant stenosis and the delineation of disease extent. With a p-value of less than 0.001, MDCTA had a higher overall diagnostic accuracy than duplex ultrasonography in the examination of popliteal, anterior, posterior, and dorsalis pedis artery stenosis or thrombosis. On MDCT angiography, the extent of vessel wall calcification and collateralization was more clearly defined. Better arterial tree delineation was achieved with image reconstruction using CT angiography, giving it an edge over DUS.
Conclusion: We find MDCTA more effectively diagnoses stenotic or obstructed arteries than DUS in patients with mild PAOD clinical symptoms. MDCTA is a non-invasive, quick, and accurate alternative to DUS.