What is Vascular Ultrasound?
Vascular Ultrasound is a diagnostic test that uses high-frequency waves that show blood flow in vessels including the arteries and veins. Ultrasound is used to create images of these soft tissue structures making it possible to detect blockages in the blood vessels. Ultrasound may be used with other diagnostic procedures or by itself.
A non-invasive vascular ultrasound method known as a duplex study is used to examine the blood circulation in the upper and lower extremities (arms and legs). Duplex scanning is a combination of Doppler and ultrasound. Noninvasive means the procedure does not require the use of needles, dyes, radiation or anesthesia.
During a vascular ultrasound, sound waves are transmitted through the tissues of the area being examined. These sound waves reflect off blood cells moving within the blood vessels, allowing the reading physician to calculate their speed. The sound waves are recorded and displayed on a computer screen.
Venous ultrasound provides pictures of the veins throughout the body. Venous exams, such as a lower extremity venous duplex exam is performed to look for thrombus or blood clots in the veins in the legs, the transducer may be used to compress the veins. The ability or inability of the veins to be compressed helps exclude or confirm the presence of a clot in the veins.
The carotid arteries, are located on each side of the neck and carry blood from the heart to the brain. Ultrasound provides detailed pictures of these blood vessels and information about the blood flowing through them. Blockages of the carotid arteries can lead to stroke. Ultrasound provides a risk-free non-invasive way to look at these blood vessels and determine if there is a significant blockage that may require treatment to reduce the risk of a stroke.
There are different types of duplex ultrasound exams. Some include:
- Arterial and venous duplex ultrasound of the abdomen examines blood vessels and blood flow in the abdominal area. This is an important test to diagnose abdominal aorta aneurysm (AAA).
- Carotid duplex ultrasound looks at the carotid artery in the neck.
- Duplex ultrasound of the extremities looks at the arms or legs typically used to diagnose peripheral arterial disease (PAD).
- Renal duplex ultrasound examines the kidneys and their blood vessels.
Accreditation Services
Celebrating Ultrasound Awareness Month
Every year, in October, Medical Ultrasound Awareness Month (MUAM) is held and intended to create awareness of diagnostic medical sonographers’ roles in the medical community. In addition, it is also designed to educate the public about medical ultrasound, it’s many...
Standardizing Vascular Diagnostics for Acquired Cardiovascular Services: The 12 Most Important Questions to Answer
How does standardizing vascular diagnostics improve outcomes? Cardiology practices continue to be acquisition targets for health care systems. These mergers have many benefits such as lower costs and improved health care delivery; however, these benefits don’t happen...
Full-time RVT Position in Southern New Jersey
Join the NAVIX Team Registered Vascular Technologist (RVT) Opening Full Time or Part-time Registered Ultrasound Technologist (RVT) Location: Toms River, New Jersey Registered Vascular Ultrasound Technologist Job Summary: Utilize high-frequency sound waves to produce...
IAC Accreditation for Vascular Testing: The Gold Standard for Vascular Ultrasound
IAC accreditation for vascular testing is the "gold standard" in the industry. IAC accreditation ensures that a facility has successfully completed a rigorous application and review process and has demonstrated a commitment to quality patient care. The...
Vascular Lab Accreditation: Top 3 Challenges to Completing the Process
Achieving Vascular Laboratory Accreditation through the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC) or American College of Cardiology (ACR) is rewarding and demonstrates to patients and referring physicians that your facility or practice is dedicated to quality....
Importance of Correlative Studies for IAC Accreditation
Providing correlative studies for IAC accreditation is an important step in the process, more importantly it demonstrates a commitment to quality and is a critical component of a good quality assurance program. For many, IAC accreditation is considered the...
Erectile Dysfunction (ED) can be an Early Sign of PAD: Vascular Testing for Urology Patients
A few months ago a we received a request for help setting up in-office services to provide vascular testing for a urology patients. This busy urology practice had the equipment and the room, but they weren’t sure they had the patients. For many...
Noninvasive Vascular Testing: The Primary Diagnostic Tool for Vascular Disease
Best Practices in Vascular Testing May Improve Vascular Disease Outcomes Noninvasive vascular testing is most commonly used by vascular specialists interested in the treatment of vascular conditions. Hospitals and group practices specializing in vascular...
Minimum Volume Requirements for Accreditation: Navigating IAC & Other Accreditations
The Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC) provides guidelines on the minimum volume requirements for accreditation for vascular labs.The IAC-Vascular Testing Accreditation current standards recommend that the minimum volume requirements for accreditation are at...
AAA Screening: An Underutilized Medicare Benefit That Should Increase in 2015
Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a killer. In 2009, AAA directly caused nearly 11,000 deaths and contributed to another 17,000. The reason that this is such a deadly disease is because there are very few warning signs that someone has this condition. What happens is...