Making the Diagnosis
Tests to check for presence of blood clots may include computed tomography (CT or CAT scan, a special technique that uses a computer to combine many X-ray images into a detailed image of an area body that is 100 times more clear than a regular X-ray), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasound studies of leg veins or the arteries of the head and neck, angiograms or venograms, an ultrasound of the heart (echocardiogram), and electrocardiograms (ECGs). Certain specialized blood tests may indicate if someone has had a recent heart attack.
Superficial thrombophlebitis is usually diagnosed according to your symptoms. A doctor will take your medical history by asking about your symptoms and conducting a physical examination.
In the case of thrombophlebitis, an ultrasound of the suspected veins may be done to confirm the diagnosis. Since the leg pain associated with DVT is very similar to muscle pain, your doctor might look for signs of swelling and enlargement of the calf due to swollen leg veins.
A diagnosis of DVT is usually confirmed with a compression ultrasound. Compression ultrasound detects differences in echoes or sounds made by flowing blood, and can easily detect the presence of blood clots in deep veins.