How Vascular Ultrasound Works

Vascular Ultrasound Vascular ultrasound uses sound waves to evaluate the body’s circulatory system and help identify blockages in the arteries and veins. It can also detect blood clots Doppler ultrasound may also be used in a clinic to evaluate blood flow through blood vessels. Ultrasound does not use and harmful radiation and has no known harmful side-effects. You really don’t need any special preparation outside of possibly removing jewelry and watches and wearing lose clothing to your appointment. What are some common uses of the procedure? Vascular ultrasound is performed to: • help monitor the blood flow to organs and tissues throughout the body. • locate and identify blockages (stenosis) and abnormalities like plaque or emboli and help plan for their effective treatment. • detect blood clots (deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in the major veins of the legs or arms. • determine whether a patient is a good candidate for a procedure such as angioplasty. • evaluate the success of procedures that graft or bypass blood vessels. • determine if there is an enlarged artery (aneurysm). • evaluate varicose veins. In children, ultrasound is used to: • aid in the placement of a needle or catheter into a vein or artery to help avoid complications such as bleeding, nerve injury or pseudo-aneurysm (abnormal outpouching of an artery with the risk of rupture). • evaluate a connection between an artery and a vein which can be seen in congenital vascular Key Takeaways Ultrasound imaging is a non-invasive medical test that helps physicians diagnose and treat medical conditions. Vascular ultrasound provides pictures of the body's veins and arteries. A Doppler ultrasound study is usually part of a vascular ultrasound examination.

Updated March 30,2024

Vascular ultrasound uses sound waves to evaluate the body’s circulatory system, help identify blockages in the arteries and veins, and detect blood clots. This noninvasive medical test, also called sonography, helps physicians diagnose and treat a variety of conditions. Ultrasound exams are safe and painless and do not use radiation (X-rays) or have any harmful side effects. Instead, this procedure uses high-frequency sound waves to produce pictures of soft tissues inside the body.

Technicians use a probe called a transducer and a water-based gel placed directly on the skin during an ultrasound exam. The gel allows high-frequency sound waves to travel into the body. Sound waves bounce back through the probe to a computer, which uses the information to create an image. Ultrasound imaging captures how soft tissues operate to show the structure and movement of internal organs on a computer screen.

Because ultrasound captures images in real time, it can show the structure and movement of the body's internal organs. The images can also show blood flowing through blood vessels.

Doppler Ultrasound Helps Evaluate Blood Flow

Vascular ultrasound provides pictures of the body's veins and arteries. Physicians often use Doppler ultrasound to diagnose vascular disease to evaluate blood flow through affected arteries and veins. The amount of blood that passes through a blood vessel with each heartbeat indicates the size of the openings in veins and arteries. Doppler ultrasound exams can also detect abnormal blood flow, possibly indicating a blood clot. Color Doppler imaging is an enhanced form, using different colors to show the direction of blood flow.

Common Uses of Ultrasound Imaging Tests

Your healthcare provider will order an ultrasound examination to positively diagnose a range of suspected vascular conditions. These can include:

  • Monitoring the flow velocity to organs and tissues throughout the body
  • Detecting blood clots, especially deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in the major veins of the legs and arms
  • Locating and identifying blockages (stenosis) and abnormalities like plaque or emboli to help plan for an effective vascular procedure
  • Determining whether someone is a good candidate for a procedure like angioplasty
  • Evaluating the success of grafts of bypasses in blood vessels
  • Determining the presence of an aneurysm
  • Evaluating varicose veins
  • Discovering reduced blood flow to various organs
  • Detecting increased blood flow, a possible sign of infection.

Vascular Ultrasound in Children

Doppler ultrasound is an essential tool when dealing with children as it aids in placing needles or catheters into major veins and arteries to help avoid bleeding, nerve injury or pseudo-aneurysm, an abnormal outpouching of an artery, risking rupture. It can also evaluate a connection between an artery and a vein often present in congenital vascular problems.

Types of Vascular Ultrasound Studies

Your healthcare provider can choose from several different types of vascular ultrasound studies, depending on the type of problem you may have. Common types of vascular ultrasound studies include:

  • Pulse volume recording (PVR) studies assess blood flow in arm or leg veins and arteries. In this procedure, a technologist applies blood pressure cuffs to your extremities and inflates them to determine blood pressure in the area using a Doppler probe. This test can positively diagnose peripheral artery disease.
  • A carotid ultrasound comes in two types: a carotid duplex scan or a carotid artery duplex scan. The first is a Doppler ultrasound that checks carotid arteries in your neck, providing a two-dimensional image. This test shows artery structure and blocked areas and can assess blood flow. A carotid artery vascular ultrasound checks for blockages or narrowing of the carotid areas. It can also check the condition of branch arteries.
  • A transcranial Doppler ultrasound can check blood flow to and within the brain. This test can identify blockages within the brain or monitor the dissolution of blood clots during treatment. It is also used to check for acute ischemic stroke, vasospasm, stenosis in brain blood vessels and cerebral microemboli.

How to Prepare for a Vascular Ultrasound

Patients don't need special preparation for ultrasound exams. However, you may need to remove jewelry and watches before the test and wear loose-fitting clothing to be comfortable on the exam table. Some technicians may also require you to change into a gown for the procedure. If you have a vascular ultrasound on your abdominal blood vessels to determine a problem like pelvic congestion syndrome, it's best to fast before the procedure, if possible.

Schedule a Vascular Ultrasound Consultation at VIVAA

Our Seattle area medical spa and primary care practice uses vascular ultrasound to evaluate varicose veins and other issues to help determine the best treatment solutions for a suspected vascular disease and your overall health. Contact our office today at 425-250-9999 or complete our convenient online Request an Appointment form for additional information.

 

Dr. Sidhu
Dr. Ramandeep Sidhu

Author - Dr. Ramandeep Sidhu

SPECIALTIES: Percutaneous aneurysm repair, endovascular treatment of peripheral arterial disease, treatment for varicose veins, open vascular surgical procedures, deep vein thrombosis/pulmonary embolism treatment and aesthetic services.