Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a serious condition that is difficult to diagnose clinically. Venography has long been held as the gold standard for diagnosis of DVT. Ultrasonography has a sensitivity and specificity that approaches that of venography, and has nearly replaced venography for the diagnosis of DVT. Traditionally DVT ultrasounds have been performed by technologists and interpreted by radiologists. These tests generally consist of full leg compression and Doppler studies, which may take over 15 min to perform. However, several recent studies have demonstrated that simplified versions of these ultrasound protocols, such as two-point compression or threepoint compression, can be performed at the bedside with sensitivities and specificities that are comparable to those of the more comprehensive formal studies. These studies allow emergency medicine and critical care physicians to rapidly diagnose DVT at the bedside, and some studies suggest that these bedside studies are as accurate as formal studies.