Thrombosis Profile Test

Thrombosis is a medical disease which occurs when there is a blood clot in a blood vessel, obstructing the flow of blood within the circulatory system. Thrombosis can occur both in veins as well as in arteries. For thrombosis that occurs within the vein, it leads to congestion to the affected part of the body, usually visible by the blackening of the skin around the region. In case of arterial thrombosis, the blood clot restricts the flow of blood, thereby damaging tissue around the region. In special cases, the blood clot can break free from the region and travel within the circulatory system. The broken blood clot is known as an embolus.

For thrombosis, there are minor symptoms and are usually similar to those inflicted by attack wounds. The most common symptoms include swelling, warmth, redness, and pain around the affected region. The most common tests to diagnose thrombosis include Doppler ultrasonography and CT scans. Sometimes, the tests are carried out in conjunction to find out the exact nature and location of the clot.

For a serious and life-threatening ailment such as thrombosis, it is usually considered best to perform these tests at the outset of the disease. In addition, when blood clots become emboli, it is mandatory to use medication to fix the ailment.

The procedure for these tests are distinct, and are described below in detail: Doppler Ultrasonography: Doppler ultrasonography is a non-invasive test which uses sound waves to produce images of the structures around the affected region. The patient is taken to a special bed or armchair. Usually, he or she would be asked to wear a gown. For proper propagation of waves, an ultrasound gel is applied around the afflicted part of the body. A probe attached to the ultrasonography machine is held around the afflicted region, especially in contact with the ultrasound gel. It creates an image of the affected region on a computer screen attached to the ultrasonography device.

If required, a printout of the image is taken on an X-ray plate for easier handling by medical professionals. CT Scan: CT scan or Computer Tomography scan is the process of taking multiple X-ray images to generate a tomographic or cross-sectional image of a particular region or the whole body. For deep vein thrombosis, the CT scan is carried out around the afflicted region. The patient is taken to a special room equipped with a CT scan machine and made to lie on the CT scan platform Since X-Rays cannot pass through metals, it is mandatory to remove all metallic items such as jewelry from the body. The scan is made around the afflicted region. X-Rays pass through tissue and other organic material but cannot pass through dense objects such as bones, stones, and clots. As a result, the presence, shape, size, and formation of the clot is visible on the output of the scan.