Nonvascular Conditions of the Lower Extremities that May Mimic Arterial or Venous Disease: A Review

Introduction

Noninvasive lower extremity arterial evaluations comprised 34% (1381/4104) of our vascular laboratory's patient volume in the year 2002. Often, patients presented with one or more symptoms suggestive of arterial disease; however, their vascular study results indicated a degree of arterial disease that was incongruent with their symptoms. It is necessary for the vascular technologist to understand the differential diagnoses that mimic the symptoms of arterial insufficiency. This clinical review describes other nonatherosclerotic disorders affecting the lower extremities. These include reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome (RSDS), lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS), gout, diabetic peripheral neuropathy, Charcot foot, and osteomyelitis (Table 1). Our goal is to briefly describe these clinical possibilities to enhance understanding.