Vascular Doppler ultrasound is a non-invasive medical test that uses high-frequency sound waves to detect blood flow and abnormalities in major veins and arteries. It is safe and does not use ionizing radiation.
Anyone who has looked at the local weather forecast or looked at an echo sounder has seen a Doppler image. The medical community has also used the Doppler effect to its advantage for many years. Vascular Doppler testing allows a doctor to directly observe how blood is flowing through a patient’s arteries in real time. In doing so, it can detect narrowing of the arteries, blockages and even blood clots. It can also easily monitor the progression of arterial disease.
A vascular Doppler ultrasound is also referred to as a vascular ultrasound. Ultrasound testing uses high-frequency sound waves to create an image of the area being studied. This is done with a transducer that is pressed against the skin. The transducer sends out sound waves and records the image as the waves are reflected. This image is instantly transmitted to a video monitor for the technician to view and can be recorded on video.
For vascular Doppler ultrasound, the technician will focus these sound waves on the patient’s heart and blood vessels. While nearly all blood vessels can be studied with this type of ultrasound, the doctor is usually only interested in a few major veins and arteries. The most common areas of concern are the arteries and veins of the legs, abdomen, head and neck.
While this test may seem somewhat scary, vascular Doppler is completely noninvasive. The only thing that actually penetrates the skin is sound waves. A clear water-based gel is applied to the skin in the areas being examined to make better contact for the transducer.
As the technician moves the transducer over the skin, the patient may hear some high-pitched pulsing sounds as blood flow is studied. The technician may also need to apply blood pressure cuffs to the patient’s arms or legs to take readings on the vessels being examined. A radiologist then analyzes the video and prepares a report for the doctor.
There are no known side effects or complications associated with Doppler ultrasound. This procedure is routinely and safely performed on pregnant women. Vascular Doppler does not rely on ionizing radiation and offers a clear image of soft tissue that may not be visible on an x-ray.
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