Vascular Ultrasound

Vascular Ultrasound

Ultrasound Procedures

A vascular ultrasound is a diagnostic test for examining blood circulation in veins and arteries. It helps doctors detect blockages, clots, narrowing, venous incompetence and other abnormalities in the circulatory system.

At Cayman Islands Surgery Center, we offer a range of vascular tests to residents and visitors of the Cayman Islands. Patients can be referred to our accredited facility for an exam of the legs and arms veins and arteries, carotid arteries, renal arteries and more. You will need a referral to make an appointment,. Please call our front office at +1 345 946 0067, or request an appointment on our contact page.

What Is a Vascular Ultrasound?

A vascular ultrasound is a diagnostic exam that uses high-frequency sound waves to produce real-time images of the circulatory system.The procedure is safe, non-invasive, painless and also cost-effective. It does not use ionizing radiation.Also called vascular sonography, a vascular ultrasound often combines standard ultrasound imaging with Doppler ultrasound technologies — referred to us as a duplex study. The ultrasound imaging provides pictures of the veins and arteries, while the Doppler technique shows blood flow in real-time. Avascular ultrasound exam is best performed by a technologist or physician trained and experienced in vascular sonography. Dr. Tanja Ebanks has treated many patients on the Islands and abroad during the last 15 years. She works with an experienced network of professionals, including accredited vascular ultrasound technologist (ARDMS RVT) Tatiana Kosinchar who performs ultrasound examinations.

Who Needs a Vascular Ultrasound?

Doctors recommend a vascular ultrasound if they suspect you have a condition affecting your circulatory system. Some of the exams we perform include:

Vein mapping for chronic venous insufficiency (CVI)

Pain and swelling in the legs can indicate CVI. To see which veins in the legs are affected, a technician uses Doppler technology to “map” all of the veins in your legs and assesses their size, blood flow and competence of the valves inside of veins.

Leg and arm arteries ultrasound

Assessing the major arteries and veins in the arms and legs can help your doctor see if there are any changes due to diabetes or long-term smoking.

Leg and arm vein ultrasound to rule out deep vein thrombosis (DVT)

Ultrasound is the gold standard in diagnosing and ruling out DVT. An ultrasound of the leg or arm veins can help us detect blood clots (thrombus) and the extent of the clot. A DVT is a life threatening condition due to the possibility of the clot to travel to the lungs and heart.

Renal artery ultrasound

Renal artery disease can affect kidney functioning and blood pressure in the whole body. One of the common reasons for early onset of hypertension is renal artery stenosis (narrowing). Using ultrasound imaging to look at the main arteries supplying the kidneys, your doctor may detect the reason for hypertension.

Carotid ultrasound

The carotid arteries, also called carotids, are arteries in the neck that supply the brain and face with oxygenated blood. Your primary care doctor may recommend this exam after detecting a vascular murmur with a stethoscope. A vascular murmur is an abnormal sound produced by turbulent blood flow in an artery, sometimes due to partial blockage. Ultrasound imaging of these arteries can detect narrowing or blockages that indicate carotid artery disease. This exam is necessary to assess vascular problems for diabetic patients, long time smokers and patients with hypertension.

Portal Doppler for liver veins to rule out portal hypertension

Portal hypertension is an increase in the pressure within the portal vein (the vein that carries blood from the digestive organs to the liver). The increase in pressure is caused by a blockage in the blood flow through the liver. The most common reason for that blockage is liver cell diseases such as fatty liver and cirrhosis.A portal Doppler checks blood flow through the liver. This test aims to assess liver functioning if you have liver disease or if blood work results show elevated liver enzymes.

Aorta ultrasound for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA)

The main method of screening for AAA is abdominal duplex sonography. An AAA is a potentially dangerous bulge in the abdominal part of the aorta, the main blood vessel that supplies all other arteries with blood.

FAQS

Vascular Ultrasound

What is a Doppler ultrasound?

A Doppler ultrasound is a special ultrasound technique that helps examine blood flow and check for blockages in the veins and arteries. Providers may also measure blood pressure during a Doppler ultrasound exam. You may hear pulse-like sounds that change pitch as your blood flow is monitored and measured.

Why did my cardiologist order a renal artery ultrasound?

If you have high blood pressure your cardiologist may order a kidney artery ultrasound to see if your kidneys are functioning properly. Renal artery stenosis (narrowing) can often cause high blood pressure. An ultrasound allows doctors to create effective treatment plans and monitor the progress of treatment.

How do you prepare for a vascular ultrasound?

Wear comfortable and loose-fitting clothing that you can easily remove for your exam.

What can a vascular ultrasound detect?

A vascular ultrasound can detect abnormal blood flow, blood clots, atherosclerosis, leaky valves and many other problems of the circulatory system.

Who interprets vascular ultrasounds?

Your vascular ultrasound results will be interpreted by a radiologist who will analyze the images and send a report to Dr. Tanja Ebanks or your ordering healthcare provider.

Will I get my vascular ultrasound exam results right away?

The radiologist will study your imaging results and report their findings within a day or two. The physician who ordered the exam will then discuss the results with you.

Make an Appointment for Ultrasound

To make an appointment for an ultrasound or request pricing, please call our office today at +1 345 939 1282 or +1 345 946 0067. You can email your doctor’s referral form to office@caymansurgery.ky. Please don’t forget to provide your phone number. We will contact you to make an appointment. If you do not have a doctor's referral you should get one during your next visit.

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