It is a diagnostic, painless, non-invasive test using sound
waves to detect
problems in the veins and arteries. There is no radiation or
xray involved
so ultrasound is a safe test that can be performed in the
physician's
office, by a registered vascular ultrasound technologist.
Duplex ultrasound shows the direction blood is flowing through
your vessels
and measures the speed of the flow of blood. It can also be
useful to
estimate the diameter of a blood vessel as well as the presence
of blood
clots or cholesterol narrowing in the blood vessel.
I have varicose veins. What will the ultrasound mapping show?
An ultrasound mapping takes about 45 minutes and is performed
with the
patient in a standing position. The technologist will scan the
varicose
veins in your legs, watching the direction of blood flow. A
normal vein
carries blood in one direction upward to the heart. If one or
several
valves in your leg veins are damaged, blood will temporarily
flow downward.
This is termed "reflux." Occasionally, the tech will ask you
to perform a
Valsalva maneuver in which you hold your breath. This can show
the presence
of early reflux. Throughout the examination, the tech will take
snapshots
of the ultrasound tracings to document that your veins are
damaged.
This tracing exhibits reflux in a vessel because blue indicates
blood flow
in one direction and red indicates the opposite direction.
After the examination, your physician will review the findings
with the
vascular technologist and go over the results with you, making
recommendations for treatment.
Treatments for varicose veins with reflux include EVLA and foam
sclerotherapy.
Duplex ultrasound is used to guide the physician when performing
either of
these treatments since the veins usually cannot be seen.
