95.5k views
1 vote
T/F: if a patient who is LE DVT unlikely has a high D-dimer, further testing is not necessary.

User Alston
by
8.7k points

1 Answer

5 votes

TrFinal answer:

If a patient who is unlikely to have LE DVT has a high D-dimer, further testing is not necessary.

Step-by-step explanation:

The given statement is true. If a patient who is unlikely to have lower extremity deep vein thrombosis (LE DVT) has a high D-dimer level, further testing is not necessary. D-dimer is a blood test that measures the presence of a substance called D-dimer in the blood. High levels of D-dimer can indicate the possibility of a blood clot.

However, it's important to note that a high D-dimer alone does not definitively diagnose LE DVT. It is often used as a screening tool to determine if further diagnostic imaging tests, such as ultrasound or venography, are necessary.

In summary, if a patient deemed unlikely to have LE DVT has a high D-dimer level, further testing is generally not necessary, but clinical judgment should be exercised to ensure proper diagnosis.

This statement is True. A high D-dimer level increases the likelihood that there could be some form of clot present, as D-dimer is a marker of coagulation activation and fibrinolysis. Although it is a nonspecific test, a high D-dimer reading usually warrants further testing, especially if clinical suspicion for DVT remains high.

The association between DVT and D-dimer is that a negative D-dimer test can be used to rule out DVT in a patient with a low clinical probability, but a high D-dimer test does not confirm DVT and requires further investigation, often with an imaging study such as ultrasound, to confirm the diagnosis.

User Rememberlenny
by
7.7k points
Welcome to QAmmunity.org, where you can ask questions and receive answers from other members of our community.