Summary
Differential diagnostic investigation of oedema is common in phlebological practice. Acute oedema may indicate thromboses, general medical disorders or orthopaedic problems such as ruptured Baker’s cysts or haematomas. However, phlebologists are more often confronted with chronic oedema and are expected to provide differential diagnostic investigations and treatment recommendations.
As a rule, the clinical pictures are characteristic of the various forms of oedema. However, ultrasonography aids the decision in terms of the distribution of the oedema (epifascial, interfascial), the distribution of the fluid in the tissues (diffuse interstitial or as visible fluid spaces), and involvement of the venous system in the genesis. Sonoelastography also helps distinguish between lip -oedema and oedema of a different aetiology.
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Keywords
Lymphoedema - lipoedema - phleboedema - lymphatic spaces - sonoelastography
