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"eThrombosis": Are Radiologists at Risk?

¹ Maimonides Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY 11219
² Wake Forest University, Baptist Medical Center, Winston-Salem, NC 27157

 
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Few would argue that the job of the radiologist is not a sedentary one, often requiring sitting at a computer for hours at a time. With more and more radiologic studies being ordered, it is easy to find oneself glued to the seat for most of the day. However, in light of recent reports of venous thrombosis after prolonged computer use, one should think twice about reviewing that next film without a break.

"eThrombosis," a term for venous thrombosis occurring from prolonged computer use, was first reported by Beasley et al. [1] in 2003. The authors described a 32-year-old man who suffered a life-threatening pulmonary thromboembolism whose only known risk factor was regularly working 12-hour days at a computer. Another report described a healthy 12-year-old boy who developed a deep vein thrombosis while playing a computer game for 4 consecutive hours with his legs flexed [2]. More recently, a 24-year-old Korean man died from a pulmonary thromboembolism after playing a computer game continuously for nearly 4 days with little sleep [3].

The prothrombotic effects of extended air and automobile travel, "traveler's thrombosis," have been known for some time. There have also been reports of venous thrombosis in those who sit in theaters for extended periods of time [3, 4]. The term "seated immobility thromboembolism (SIT) syndrome" has been introduced to encompass all conditions in which a state of prolonged sitting is found to be the major risk factor in patients presenting with venous thromboembolism (VTE) [5].

In light of these reports, it is reasonable to predict that radiologists are at a higher risk for VTE than the general population. The average radiologist is not only spending most of the day on the computer but is also working for dangerously long periods of time without taking a break. Merely 2 hours of sitting has been shown to increase blood viscosity and the tendency for thrombosis in the lower extremities [4].

There are certain measures that anyone who works at a computer can do to avoid VTE. For example, don't dictate for hours on end without standing up. Reach for a cup of water instead of a cup of coffee to keep the body well hydrated. When seated, keep your legs uncrossed and knees bent because this will prevent venous stasis. Periodically flexing the thigh muscles, pumping the calves, and moving the feet will increase circulation and venous return from the legs, decreasing the likelihood of deep vein thrombosis formation.

References

Top References

 

1. Beasley R, Raymond N, Hill S, Nowitz M, Hughes R. eThrombosis: the 21st century variant of venous thromboembolism associated with immobility. Eur Respir J 2003;21 : 374-376[Abstract/Free Full Text]
2. Ng SM, Khurana RM, Yeang HW, Hughes UM, Manning DJ. Is prolonged use of computer games a risk factor for deep venous thrombosis in children? Clin Med 2003; 3:593 -594[Medline]
3. Lee H. A new case of fatal pulmonary thromboembolism associated with prolonged sitting at computer in Korea. Yonsei Med J 2004; 45:349 -351[Medline]
4. Homans J. Thrombosis of the deep leg veins due to prolonged sitting. N Engl J Med 1954;250 : 148-149[Medline]
5. Beasley R, Heuser P, Masoi M. One name to rule them all, one name to find them: Lord of the Rings and "seated immobility thromboembolism (SIT) syndrome." N Z Med J 2003;166 : U498

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This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Gerard, P. S. Articles by Mattern, M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Gerard, P. S. Articles by Mattern, M. Social Bookmarking                      What's this?