Vascular Ultrasound
Vascular ultrasound is performed to detect the presence, location, and severity of arterial and venous diseases. It is a simple, cost-effective and painless procedure performed using Doppler ultrasound. No surgery, X-rays, or needles are used. It causes minimal risk and discomfort to the patient when compared to invasive techniques. It uses sound waves to detect the flow of blood through the blood vessels and to reveal any blockages. Regular ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves to create images of organs within the body. Doppler ultrasound uses sound waves to evaluate blood as it flows through a blood vessel
The common abnormalities of the major blood vessels include narrowing or obstruction to blood flow, blood flowing in the wrong direction and finally blood vessels that stretch beyond their normal size. The intensity of injury may vary in nature and severity depending on the type of vessel involved and whether they are connected to major muscle groups within the arm or leg, major organs within the abdomen, or the brain.
The common indications of vascular ultrasound include:
- To provide the initial diagnosis and determine the severity and extent of the disease
- To enable us review or assess on-going problems and determine if the disease is stable or has deteriorated
- To assist directly and indirectly in treatment
- To enable review or assessment of the treatment outcomes
When investigating vascular disease, high-resolution ultrasound imaging is invaluable, although it is inadequate if used as a stand-alone diagnostic tool. Ultrasound cannot provide a complete picture of vascular pathophysiology and for this functional studies are essential. Vascular ultrasound can help diagnose the following conditions:
- Peripheral arterial disease: Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) refers to narrowing of the blood vessels that obstructs blood flow to the arms or legs usually due to atherosclerosis (fatty plaques in walls of blood vessels) or other diseases.
- Deep venous thrombosis: Deep venous thrombosis (DVT) refers to a condition in which a blood clot is formed in a vein and the clot can move through the blood stream to the lungs.
- Aortic aneurysms: This refers to abnormal bulging of the major artery that may cause fatal rupture.
- Other conditions such as cerebrovascular disease, chronic venous disease, renal artery disease, and mesenteric arterial disease can also be diagnosed by a duplex ultrasound technique.
- It is also used for venous mapping for coronary bypass.
Dr Nigel Ackroyd has extensive experience in the Doppler ultrasound assessment of vascular conditions and runs a busy vascular assessment clinic. In his diagnostic imaging facility the equipment and personnel are trained specifically to diagnose diseases of the major blood vessels of the body. He is able to offer a highly sophisticated service that cannot be matched by general Radiology practices in terms of accuracy and speed of diagnosis and, importantly, our knowledge of vascular disease and interventional procedures. |
