When to Repeat an Ultrasound After Lovenox for DVT?

If you experience leg pain and suspect a blood clot, doctors may recommend an ultrasound to identify and diagnose deep vein thrombosis (DVT). However, after undergoing treatment--including Lovenox--for DVT, you may wonder when to have a second ultrasound. Your doctor may recommend a series of ultrasounds to follow the development and resolution of the blood clot, but in most instances, patients wait three to six months before having a repeat ultrasound.

Series of Ultrasounds

• Repeat ultrasounds at regular intervals to monitor your blood clots, if your doctor recommends it. This tracks any movement of the DVT--which could result in a potentially fatal pulmonary embolism--and the clot's dissolution. The Family Practice Notebook recommends that you have two ultrasounds a week for two weeks after diagnosis, which could coincide with or follow Lovenox treatment.

End of Treatment

• Book an appointment for an ultrasound at the end of treatment to determine whether your DVT is gone. Usually anticoagulant treatment lasts for three to six months, which may include Lovenox injections for the first week or for the duration of the treatment. Have an ultrasound at the end of the treatment cycle, as this will enable your doctor to recommend continued treatment or not, depending on whether the DVT is still there or has dissolved. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, a clot in your calf may require as little as six weeks of treatment, in which case you should repeat your ultrasound at this time.