Vascular Ultrasound

What is a vascular ultrasound?

A vascular ultrasound is a noninvasive diagnostic procedure that uses sound wave technology to evaluate your circulatory system, including your arteries and veins. 

The cardiologists at Heart & Vascular Institute use vascular ultrasound to diagnose conditions that affect your heart and vascular system, such as peripheral artery disease, coronary artery disease, and arrhythmias. 

These conditions may cause a range of symptoms that can make it difficult to get an accurate diagnosis. Symptoms may include:

• Dizziness
• Heart palpitations
• Vertigo
• Chest pain or tightness
• Shortness of breath
• Leg pain
• Leg swelling

During your consultation, your cardiologist asks in-depth questions about your symptoms to formulate a preliminary diagnosis and then determine the type of vascular ultrasound needed to confirm or rule out the suspected cause of your symptoms.

What are the types of vascular ultrasound?

Heart & Vascular Institute is dedicated to providing the best cardiac care possible and offers many types of vascular ultrasound. The types include:

Arterial testing ultrasound

The cardiology team uses the arterial ultrasound to evaluate blood circulation in your peripheral arteries to determine if your leg pain is due to peripheral artery disease.

Peripheral venous ultrasound

The peripheral venous ultrasound is used to diagnose deep vein thrombosis (DVT), which is a blood clot that forms in a deep vein in your leg and causes leg pain and swelling. 

Echocardiogram

To determine the cause of your cardiac symptoms, such as heart palpitations, shortness of breath, or chest pain, the cardiologists at Heart & Vascular Institute may recommend an echocardiogram. During this ultrasound test, the team uses ultrasound imaging to evaluate the functions and structures of your heart.

Doppler ultrasound

The Doppler ultrasound shows the movement of blood through your blood vessels and may be used to diagnose a DVT or peripheral artery disease, or check for blood vessel damage around your heart. 

What happens during a vascular ultrasound?

The specifics of your vascular ultrasound may depend on the type of procedure being performed. Prior to your ultrasound, your cardiologist goes over everything with you, including how to prepare, what to expect during the test, and what happens afterward.

In most cases, you don’t require any special preparation prior to your vascular ultrasound, and you won’t have downtime once your test is completed.

Heart & Vascular Institute is dedicated to providing high-quality, comprehensive cardiac care. To learn more about vascular ultrasound, call the office or book an appointment online today.