Notes

In brief, with this grading scheme, a vessel with a stenosis of less than 20% was assigned a score of 0, a vessel with a 20% to 49% stenosis was assigned a score of 1, a vessel with a 50% to 99% stenosis was assigned a score of 2, an occlusion for less than half the total length of the vessel was assigned a score of 2.5, and a longer occlusion was assigned a score of 3. Because most of the vessels studied have more than one stenosis as opposed to a single one, score assignment rarely relies on a single “borderline” stenosis (49% vs 51%, for example). We graded these arteries: anterior tibial, posterior tibial, peroneal, dorsalis pedis (DP), lateral plantar (LP), and medial plantar (MP). We evaluated the DP on its entire length from the ankle joint level to the level at which it gives off its arcuate branch. We then devised a foot score (sum of the 3 foot vessels scores plus 1) and a calf score (sum of the 3 calf vessels scores plus 1) in analogy to the run-off score calculated for femoropopliteal bypass grafts. Specific examples are shown in Figs 1,2, and 3