A fibrinogen uptake test is a test that was formerly used to detect

deep vein thrombosis Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a type of venous thrombosis involving the formation of a blood clot in a deep vein, most commonly in the legs or pelvis. A minority of DVTs occur in the arms. Symptoms can include pain, swelling, redness, and enla ...

. Radioactive labeled

fibrinogen Fibrinogen (factor I) is a glycoprotein complex, produced in the liver, that circulates in the blood of all vertebrates. During tissue and vascular injury, it is converted enzymatically by thrombin to fibrin and then to a fibrin-based blood clo ...

is given which is incorporated in the

thrombus A thrombus (plural thrombi), colloquially called a blood clot, is the final product of the blood coagulation step in hemostasis. There are two components to a thrombus: aggregated platelets and red blood cells that form a plug, and a mesh of c ...

. The thrombus can then be detected by

scintigraphy Scintigraphy (from Latin ''scintilla'', "spark"), also known as a gamma scan, is a diagnostic test in nuclear medicine, where radioisotopes attached to drugs that travel to a specific organ or tissue (radiopharmaceuticals) are taken internally and ...

. Iodine 125-labeled fibrinogen scanning is a very sensitive method for detecting subclinical leg vein thrombi. Fibrinogen scanning is less useful for the diagnosis of established venous thrombosis, but is valuable for detecting extension of venographically diagnosed calf vein thrombosis. The technique is safe if fibrinogen is obtained from carefully screened donors. The limitations of the method include its inability to distinguish between superficial and deep venous thrombi, and its sensitivity to fibrin in hematoma and inflammatory exudates. Though the results agree closely with those of phlebography, scanning seems less reliable for detecting femoral vein than calf vein thrombi and is insensitive to thrombi above the inguinal ligament. Screening for these major thrombi may be improved by combining fibrinogen scanning with impedance plethysmography or ultrasonic examination.

References

Medical tests {{Med-diagnostic-stub