Vascular ultrasound

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Vascular ultrasound


What you need to know

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Before your procedure

Make sure that you have your requisition form and your health card with you. Learn More

Before your procedure

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Preparing for your procedure

For most vascular exams, there is no preparation required.

For an abdominal aortic aneurysm assessment, you will need to fast eight hours prior to the procedure.

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During your procedure

We make it a priority to ensure that you are at ease during your ultrasound exam. Learn More

During your procedure

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What to expect during the procedure


You will lie on the examination table with your head slightly elevated, and lying still (even a slight movement can alter the image). The vascular technologist will  spread a special gel over the area to be examined. The vascular technologist will press the ultrasound wand against your skin and move it over the area the doctor would like to see. You may hear a whooshing sound that the machine makes to represent the blood moving through your body. The computer that is linked to the ultrasound equipment generates the images requested by your physician.

For arterial procedures, additional blood pressure tests will be done.

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After your procedure

Once the exam is complete, your doctor’s office will contact you with the results. Learn More

After your procedure

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After your visit

You may resume all of your normal activities immediately after your ultrasound procedure.

The results of your procedure will be sent to your referring physician within two to three days.

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What is a vascular ultrasound?

Vascular ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves to generate images of blood flow within the veins and arteries. Vascular ultrasound can also be known as a Doppler or duplex study. For example, if your physician wants to make sure that you do not have a blood clot in your leg, they might order a venous duplex or venous Doppler examination.


What to expect during a vascular ultrasound?


Vascular ultrasound procedures are non-invasive, meaning they do not require the use of needles, dyes, radiation or anesthesia and are, therefore, relatively painless and harmless.

The information obtained through vascular ultrasound examinations is extremely helpful to physicians in diagnosing a variety of conditions related to cardiovascular disease, disorders of the heart and blood vessels. Early detection of life-threatening vascular diseases is possible through the use of non-invasive vascular testing techniques performed within vascular facilities. Specific conditions include:

•    Arterial disease of lower and upper extremities

•    Deep-vein thrombosis

•    Carotid occlusive disease

•    Varicose veins

•    Abdominal aneurysm

•    Aneurysm in extremities

•    Aortoiliac occlusive disease