Comparison of Medical Treatment Efficiency with Shear Wave Elastography Values of Thrombus in Patients with Lower Extremity Deep Vein Thrombosis.

In lower-extremity deep vein thrombosis (DVT), thrombus age is essential for successful treatment. The aim of our study was to compare the shear wave elastography (SWE) values measured before treatment and achieved lumen patency after treatment in lower-extremity DVT patients with total occlusion. Patients diagnosed with DVT in the acute-subacute stage (<4 week) with total thrombosis in lower extremity were included in this prospective study. Shear wave elastography measurements were performed where the thrombus was most prominent and homogeneous. To evaluate patient response to treatment, lumen patency (partial [>25%] or total recanalization) was examined using color Doppler imaging in the first and third months posttreatment. Shear wave elastography values with and without patency were compared using an independent t test. Among 75 patients in this study, at the first-month color Doppler imaging examination, the SWE values were 1.77 +/- 0.49 (1.09-3.03) m/s in patients who achieved lumen patency (n = 42) and 2.21 +/- 0.54 (1.24-3.36) m/s in those who did not show lumen patency (n = 33). The difference between the groups' mean elastography value was statistically significant (P < 0.001). At the third-month examination, the SWE values were 1.76 +/- 0.46 (1.09-3.03) m/s in patients with lumen patency (n = 55) and 2.52 +/- 0.48 (1.74-3.36) in patients without lumen patency (n = 20). The difference between the 2 groups' mean elastography value was statistically significant (P < 0.001). We concluded that it is more difficult to achieve lumen patency in veins occluded by thrombus with higher elasto values, and endovascular interventional procedures should be considered during the initial treatment of high SWE value thrombosis.