Medical abbreviation:
None
Type:
Blood tests
Definition:
D-dimer is a product formed from the break down of a clot in the blood stream.
When would I need this test?
The test is used when doctors suspect the formation of a blood clot in conditions such as, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism and disseminated intravascular coagulation. False positive results are common and therefore more sophisticated imaging tests are usually carried out to identify clots. For suspected deep vein thrombosis, this involves having an ultrasound doppler or contrast venography and for suspected pulmonary embolism a computed tomography pulmonary angiogram.
