Non-invasive assessment of arterial disease: a comparison of Quickscan with intra-arterial digital subtraction angiography.

The ability of Quickscan to identify haemodynamically significant lesions in the arteries of the lower limb was studied. Quickscan was prospectively compared with intra-arterial digital subtraction angiography (IADSA) of the iliac, femoral and popliteal arteries. In 155 patients, 631 arterial segments were evaluated. A Quickscan frequency ratio of 1 :3 or greater had a sensitivity of 93 per cent and a specificity of 85 per cent in detecting a stenosis of more than 50 per cent diameter reduction (67 per cent area reduction) in the iliac artery, as shown on IADSA. The sensitivity and specificity in the femoral artery were 85 and 96 per cent respectively, and in the popliteal artery 82 and 98 per cent respectively. In the detection of occlusion, Quickscan had a sensitivity and specificity of 84 and 98 per cent respectively in the iliac artery, 94 and 97 per cent respectively in the femoral artery, and 94 and 85 per cent respectively in the popliteal artery. Quickscan is an inexpensive, quick and non-invasive method of screening for peripheral vascular disease in the lower limb.