Which statement best describes Homan's sign in the evaluation of DVT?

Which statement best describes Homan's sign in the evaluation of DVT?

• A. It is unreliable and no longer part of assessment
• B. It definitively confirms DVT
• C. It predicts pulmonary embolism
• D. It should be used in all patients with suspected DVT

Answer: (A)

Homan's sign is a historically described maneuver where forced ankle dorsiflexion is used to provoke calf pain in the hope of signaling a deep vein thrombosis. But its reliability is poor; it has low sensitivity and specificity, and calf pain can arise from many other conditions as well. Because of this, it does not reliably indicate DVT on its own and is not part of contemporary assessment. Modern evaluation emphasizes clinical probability, D-dimer testing when appropriate, and confirmatory imaging with compression ultrasonography rather than relying on a single physical sign. It does not definitively confirm DVT, it does not predict pulmonary embolism, and it is not recommended to be used in every patient with suspected DVT.