Homan's sign is best described as which of the following?

• A. A blood test measuring D-dimer
• B. Dorsiflexion of the foot to assess for VTE, but is not always reliable
• C. Calf circumference measurement
• D. MRI to detect DVT

Answer: (B)

The key idea here is a provocative maneuver used historically to hint at a deep vein thrombosis. Homan’s sign involves passively dorsiflexing the foot and calf; if this movement elicits pain in the calf, it was thought to suggest a DVT. This describes the concept of using ankle dorsiflexion as a potential indicator of a venous thrombosis.

However, this sign is not dependable. It has poor sensitivity and variable specificity, so many people with a DVT won’t have positive calf pain, and many people without a DVT can have calf discomfort from other causes. Because of that unreliability, clinicians don’t rely on Homan’s sign to diagnose DVT. Modern evaluation centers on imaging such as duplex ultrasound and, in appropriate cases, a D-dimer blood test to improve diagnostic accuracy. The other options refer to different tests entirely—D-dimer as a blood test, measuring calf circumference, or using MRI—none of which describe the Homan’s sign.