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Vascular Ultrasound
Vascular ultrasound provides pictures of the body's veins and arteries. A Doppler ultrasound study is usually part of a vascular ultrasound examination. Doppler ultrasound is a special ultrasound technique that evaluates movement of materials in the body. It allows the doctor to see and evaluate blood flow through arteries and veins in the body.
Vascular ultrasound uses sound waves to evaluate the body's circulatory system and help identify blockages in the arteries and veins and detext blood clots. A Doppler ultrasound study - a technique that evaluates blood flow through a blood vessel is usually part of this exam.
Common Uses of the Procedure
Sonography is a helpful method of assessing the body's circulatory framework.
Vascular ultrasound is performed to:
- Help monitor the blood flow to organs and tissues throughout the body.
- Locate and recognize blockages (stenosis) and abnormalities like plaque or emboli and help plan for an effective treatment plan.
- Detect blood clots (deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in the major veins of the legs or arms.
Benefits
- Vascular ultrasound scanning is non-invasive (no needles or injections).
- Occasionally, an ultrasound exam may be temporarily uncomfortable, but it should not be painful.
- Ultrasound imaging is extremely safe and does not use radiation.
- Ultrasound scanning gives a clear picture of soft tissues that do not show up well on x-ray images.
- Ultrasound imaging can help detect lesions in women with dense breasts.
- Ultrasound may help detect and classify a breast lesion that cannot be interpreted adequately through mammography alone.
Risks
- Standard diagnostic ultrasound has no known harmful effects on humans.
- Interpretation of a breast ultrasound examination may lead to additional procedures such as follow-up ultrasound and/or aspiration or biopsy.
- Many of the areas thought to be of concern turn out to be non-cancerous (false positives).