D-dimer testing is often ordered when someone goes to the emergency room with symptoms of a serious condition (e.g., chest pain and difficulty in breathing). A D-dimer test may be ordered when someone has symptoms of deep vein thrombosis, such as: Leg pain or tenderness, usually in one leg. Leg swelling, edema.

Why would D-dimer be elevated?

An elevated D-dimer level is not normal. It's usually found after a clot has formed and is in the process of breaking down. If you are having significant formation and breakdown of blood clot in your body, your D-dimer may be elevated. A negative D-dimer test means that a blood clot is highly unlikely.

What if D-dimer is high?

If your results show higher than normal levels of D-dimer, it may mean you have a clotting disorder. But it cannot show where the clot is located or what type of clotting disorder you have. Also, high D-dimer levels are not always caused by clotting problems.