Venography

Venography

A Venography (also commonly known under the medical terms of phlebography or ascending contrast phlebography) is an invasive X-ray imaging procedure which allows the visual observation and analysis of the patient’s leg vein structure. It is usually performed after administration of a contrast agent into the patient’s blood stream. The contrast dye is injected in the patient’s foot, into a vein.

The purpose of a Venography is primarily to diagnose or verify a deep vein thrombosis (a medical condition characterized by the formation of a blood clot in a vein in the patient’s leg), and this procedure has a nearly 100% success rate in identifying any present blood clots in the leg blood vessels.. If it remains undetected or untreated, this condition may cause severe complications, such as pulmonary embolism which can prove lethal to the patient. It should be noted however that the accuracy of the test is reduced when investigating portions of the leg below the knee.

This imaging procedure may also be used to determine the presence of blood clots, vein obstructions and structural vein anomalies or to evaluate congenital vein problems; also, the resulting images can be examined in an attempt to identify a suitable vein to use during arterial bypass grafting or to observe the functioning of the patient’s deep leg vein valves.

Venography is not commonly employed due to its cost, to the pain inflicted on the patient, to the high risk of complications and to the considerable dose of radiation used. The procedure may only be performed in a hospital or a clinic properly equipped for radiological studies, and the operation must be conducted by a specialized health care professional. The duration of the procedure is of roughly 30 to 45 minutes.

This procedure may not be recommended to patients who are suffering from kidney disease. As such, individuals affected by such conditions should consult with their personal health care professional in order to find out more regarding the alternative procedures available.

Venography Description

It is necessary that the patient fasts and consumes only clear liquids for at least four hours prior to undergoing the Venography. In emergency cases however, this is not possible, and as such the procedure may also be carried out even if the patient has eaten. The patient should also inform his personal physician of any allergies he or she might have; certain tests may be performed to ensure that the patient is not allergic to the contrast dye, and a sedative may be administered to the patients to help him or her relax.

The Venography procedure is performed with the patient lying down on the X-ray table. Prior to inserting the catheter, the target area is shaved and cleaned. If required, the health care specialist administers a dose of local anesthetic in order to induce numbness in the skin around the insertion site. A needle is then inserted into the vein, creating an insertion point for the catheter. The needle is removed, and the specialized health care professional inserts the catheter (a thin, long, flexible tube) into the vein and the contrast dye begins to be injected slowly. During this phase of the procedure, the patient may experience a flushing, warm sensation at the point of entry, spreading into the rest of the body.

A tight band is usually tied around the patient’s ankle in order to fill the vein with dye (or in some cases the lower extremities may be elevated). The patient should keep the leg still throughout the procedure. The supervising health care professional employs the use of a fluoroscope in order to observe the vein and the contrast agent movement, while also taking a series of X-rays of the leg. Once the observation is complete, the contrast dye is cleared from the vein by injecting fluid, and the catheter is removed. A bandage may be applied over the insertion point.

After undergoing Venography, the patient should consume extra quantities of liquids, both to ensure complete flushing of the contrast dye from their system as well as to prevent dehydration which may appear as a result of contrast agent usage. If any unexpected symptoms appear, it is strongly recommended that the patient consults with the health care professional.

Venography Related Medication

A Venography procedure relies on obtaining accurate images of the patient’s deep vein system through the use of contrast dyes. Currently, the most common substance used as a contrast dye is Ioversol, a compound based on Iodine, with a high degree of X-ray retention. As such, by injecting Ioversol or any other Iodine based contrast dyes, the deep vein system will appear clearly visible in the X-ray images. The contrast dyes are only administered to the patient in a clinic or a hospital, under the strict supervision of a specialized health care professional. The contrast agent is administered intravenously during the imaging procedure.

Ioversol, as any other Iodine based contrast dye, may cause dehydration – a severe medical condition which may severely impact the patient’s renal function, and which may have serious long term consequences on the patient’s general health state. In order to prevent that, the patient is required to consume supplementary quantities of liquids both before and after the Venography procedure. Given the severity of this complication, this aspect of the patient’s care should never be neglected.

Iodine-based contrast agents are safe to use and normally do not cause any side effects except the warm expanding feeling experienced upon injection into the vein of the dye. However, in rare cases, the patient may begin to experience unusual side effects to the treatment. When they do appear, the side effects are transitory and mild – headaches, muscle weakness, nausea or wheezing – but there are situations in which more severe side effects may occur. Cases of convulsions, allergic reactions, skin changes and easy bleeding or bruising have been reported. In order to minimize the effects of the adverse reactions, it is strongly recommended that you immediately contact your personal health care specialist whenever you begin to experience any uncommon, unexpected and / or uncomfortable symptoms during and after you undergo the Venography.