Personally, I believe that color can be used to evaluate many of the things that
we want to know about flow in the venous system. Most of these things are 
qualitative rather than quantitative, something that color does adequately.
A pre-requisiste is a thorough understanding of the limitations of color 
Doppler, primarily what is color actualy showing us. This is something that most
people do not fully appreciate. Mostly, the data we see can easily be altered 
depending upon the instrument settings. However, if properly tweaked, I can 
report phasicity, reflux (presence & duration), and reponses to augmentation 
manuvers quite easily. In fact, I believe there are advantages to doing this 
with color over spectral analysis, exam time being the biggest. The duration of 
reflux can clearly be more easily measured with spectral analysis. 

However, ICAVL requires that spectral analysis be used, (both a visual and 
audible output are required), color is considered only complementary. "The 
dynamics of venous blood flow are evaluated by displaying the Doppler waveforms 
obtained at rest and during ancillary manuevers..."  Clearly, current standards 
are based on spectral waveforms. 

We routinely comment on venous hemodynamics based on color Doppler data, in a 
qualitative perspective. 

Bill




______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: forms and thoughts
Author:  [log in to unmask] at Internet
Date:    8/3/95 8:40 PM


>Any thoughts/suggestions on what you use for reporting on color coded 
>Doppler sonography of the Venous system? 
>                                        TIA             andy ;-)
     
And how about thoughts on TCD criteria and forms ?
     
We recently obtained our lab's accredation and are looking to continuing to 
improve our thoughts and forms, we would of course share if there is interest.
     
TIA
                                                        andy    ;-)