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.