Family Medicine Aquifer Exam Questions Solved 100% Correct

C)*Venous Doppler of the lower extremity should tell you with good sensitivity and specificity if DVT is present.* Elevated white blood cell count might make you consider cellulitis. However, a normal white count would not rule it out, nor is a leukocytosis specific enough to give you the diagnosis. D-dimer is a small protein fragment present in the blood after a blood clot is degraded by fibrinolysis. It is a relatively sensitive, but poorly specific test for the presence of DVT. While a negative result (low D-dimer concentration in the blood) practically rules out thrombosis, a positive result can indicate thrombosis, but does not rule out other potential causes, such as infection. Its main use, therefore, is to exclude thromboembolic disease where the probability is low. - ANSWER Which of the following diagnostic tests is the best initial test with high predictive value for determining whether your patient has cellulitis or DVT? A. Complete blood count B. Culture and sensitivity of the ulcer C. Venous Doppler of the lower extremity D. D-dimer E. MRI of the affected extremity *Criteria for diagnosing DV