The femoral vein, specifically the common femoral vein, is the primary deep vein draining blood from the lower extremity back toward the heart. It runs alongside the femoral artery in the thigh and is one of the most frequently evaluated vessels in venous duplex ultrasound for deep vein thrombosis. The examination involves systematic compression of the vein with the transducer from the common femoral vein down through the superficial femoral vein and popliteal vein. A normal vein compresses completely and shows Doppler flow with respiratory variation and augmentation. Failure to compress the vein is the primary ultrasound sign of deep vein thrombosis and usually requires anticoagulation treatment.
Sonography Term