Use of colour duplex imaging to diagnose and guide angioplasty of lower limb arterial lesions.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether colour duplex imaging alone could safely and effectively be used to diagnose lower limb arterial lesions and guide subsequent percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA). METHODS: Patients with discrete lower limb arterial lesions, preferably stenoses, which could be visualized clearly by colour duplex imaging were selected for duplex-guided PTA. Duplex-guided PTA was performed in an operating theatre using conventional balloon catheters. RESULTS: Duplex imaging was used to diagnose and guide PTA of 55 arterial lesions in 50 legs of 45 patients. There were 53 stenoses and two occlusions. The median (range) ankle : brachial pressure index was 0. 86 (0.52-1.10) before dilatation and 1.00 (0.83-1.40) immediately after dilatation (P = 0.0001). There were no complications during or after any of the procedures and 46 of the 47 symptomatic legs were markedly improved at a median follow-up of 23 days. Radiographic imaging was not required for any of the procedures. CONCLUSION: It is possible to diagnose and angioplasty lower limb arterial lesions using colour duplex imaging alone.