Slightly elevated d dimer but negative radiology tests. whats up?

Non specific test: I would put more stock in the negative radiology findings. A d-dimer that is slightly elevated is so non-specific that it is really not at all helpful is making a diagnosis of anything.

Non specific.: D dimer is a non specific blood test and can be elevated for many reasons including infection and various types of inflammation. When used to evaluate dvt, a negative test is very helpful, but a positive test requires other documentary evidence to prove DVT such as ultrasound or ct. What you describe is considered a nonspecific finding.

D-dimer is very: Sensitive (meaning a negative result is almost never wrong), but it is not specific (meaning a positive test does not help determine what exact diagnosis a patient has). Therefore, there are many reasons for a positive test, and only a few of them are worrisome, such as deep vein thrombus or pulmonary embolism. Radiology tests help rule out those diseases.

Not specific: A D-dimer is useful because it is very sensitive but the problem is that it is not specific for blood clots. Something else other than clot could cause slight elevation. Also, you could have a small clot somewhere else in the body that was not detected by radiology x-rays. The radiology tests are the most important (better than D-dimer) & should focus on the location of your symptoms.