Carotid Ultrasound is the most accurate test available for screening patients for carotid artery disease. Atherosclerotic plaque (hardening of the arteries) contained in the carotid artery in the neck, can break up into many particles.  The force of blood then sends these particles of plaque up to the brain. These particles lodge in smaller vessels within the brain, shutting off blood flow to the brain tissue. This is thought to be the major cause of strokes.

Carotid ultrasound uses technology borrowed from submarine warfare, to accurately image and record the appearance and the amount of blockage within the carotid arteries. This is critical information both for the patient and the patient's physician. The type and amount of blockage directly correlates with a patients risk of stroke. This information can then be used to determine which patients should, or should not undergo carotid endarterectomy a proven stroke prevention surgery.

Venous Duplex is a highly accurate ultrasound test that directly images the inside of veins. This examination is ordered when a physician suspects that a patient may have a blood clot in a vein- usually in the arms or legs. This examination requires no patient preparation, and involves no needles or injections of any kind. It is painless and can be completed in less than hour, giving the patient and physician an almost instantaneous answer to the question of whether or not a blood clot is found.

Lower Extremity Doppler examination uses a different variety of ultrasound and ultrasound equipment, to assess the amount of circulation in the arms or legs. This examination does not image the inside of vessels, but instead is used to evaluate whether or not there are blockages within the arteries of the arms or legs. This examination can then determine how much of the circulation is affected by the blockages, giving the physician the information needed to help decide which patients might require some type of procedure to restore adequate blood flow.

              

Upper Extremity Doppler examination is exactly the same examination as the lower extremity study with the exception that the arms, hands and fingers are studied, rather than the legs. This examination again is used to determine the amount of circulation in each extremity, rather than imaging the inside of the vessels, as would be done with several of the other examinations. Like the lower extremity evaluation, this examination is performed with high quality Doppler ultrasound equipment and specialized blood pressure cuffs, that together accurately measure the blood pressure all the way to the fingertips.

Renal Artery Ultrasound is used to determine if any significant narrowings are present in the arteries going to the kidneys. Most commonly, these tests are ordered by physicians, in those patients with severe high blood pressure, or those who appear to be losing kidney function.

This examination uses ultrasound technology similar to that in carotid or venous examinations. However, due to the depth of the kidneys and its blood vessels, more powerful ultrasound probes are used. Also, because the ultrasound beam must go through the abdominal organs to reach the kidneys, no food or drink can be taken for at least eight hours before the test. This ensures that the ultrasound beam will not be interfered with by swallowed air or food. The examination may take two and sometimes even three hours to complete, again due to the depth of these vessels, and their relatively small size.

Bypass Graft Surveillance is another type of ultrasound examination done to determine if lower extremity bypass veins are open, closed, or narrowed in any way. This examination gathers important information about these bypass veins, which were implanted to restore adequate blood flow, usually to the legs and feet. If narrowings are found, they can be repaired before the bypass has a chance to block off all the way. This can not only save time and inconvenience for the patient and their families, but can help prevent loss of the limb from poor circulation (gangrene.) No preparation is required and the exam is completed in an hour or so.

Dialysis Graft Surveillance uses the same types of ultrasound technologies as those above. This procedure is also painless and requires no preparation. The examination obtains detailed images of dialysis access grafts in the arms of patients receiving dialysis treatments. These access devices are subject to wear and tear by being utilized several times a week, and the ultrasound test can determine which of these devices have developed thick scar tissue that can block the flow of blood in the device, and thereby hamper the dialysis process.

Abdominal Aortic Ultrasound uses ultrasound to measure the size of the aorta or an aortic aneurysm. The only preparation for the test is no eating after midnight prior to the examination. The examination is painless, and is normally completed in about half an hour. The images obtained allow the physician to decide which aneurysms must be repaired as well as those that can be safely watched without surgery.