This is an effective, non-invasive way to evaluate your body’s circulatory system. During this test, high frequency sound waves that reflect off your blood vessels are used to create images and listen to pulses. It is used for a variety of reasons, including:
- to evaluate for blockages to blood flow, such as clots in veins and plaque in arteries
- to determine the success of a procedure—for example after graft or bypass surgery or after placement of a vascular stent
- to examine the carotid arteries that feed the brain, to look for narrowing or plaque that may lead to a stroke
- to evaluate abdominal blood vessels such as the aorta (for an aneurysm) or arteries of the kidneys (for blockages or narrowing).
Preparation Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing. Generally, no preparation is needed unless your abdominal vessels are being evaluated. Your doctor will let you know if you need to fast prior to the procedure.
Learn more about preparation, registration and results at About Your Procedure.
The Procedure You may be asked to change into a hospital gown. Next, you will lie down on the exam table and a vascular technologist will apply a lubricating gel to the area being examined. A handheld device called a transducer is placed on the area being examined. The technologist will then press it firmly against your skin and sweep the area of interest. You may be asked to move into different positions or to hold your breath for short periods of time during the examination. Blood pressure cuffs may also be applied to your legs and arms to obtain pressure readings. The procedure takes an estimated 30-60 minutes.