Venous Doppler

What Is a Venous Doppler?

A non-invasive ultrasound test, a venous Doppler test is used to estimate the velocity of your blood flow. The test uses Doppler waves to measure the rate of change to the frequency. While traditional ultrasounds produce high-quality still images, a venous Doppler permits your doctor to actually visualize the movement of the blood in your veins.

Many doctors prefer venous Dopplers to more invasive alternatives like an angiography, which requires that a die be injected into your veins for x-ray viewing. The venous Doppler test helps your doctor determine an accurate diagnosis for such conditions as arterial damage. It also helps your doctor monitor any treatments to your veins and arteries that you may be undergoing.

The cardiologists focus on the prevention of heart disease. Venous Doppler exams help them identify vascular symptoms, which can develop into severe heart disease if left undetected.

Why Is a Venous Doppler Test Done?

When your doctor has concerns about your blood flow, the first step may be to order a venous Doppler test for you. The test is useful for identifying problems or blockages in your veins and arteries. Your doctor can also diagnose several cardiovascular conditions, such as:

• Blood flow changes during pregnancy to the mother or fetus
• Post-surgical blood flow anomalies
• Inflamed leg veins, also known as superficial thrombophlebitis
• Tumors in your leg veins
• Swollen blood vessels in your hands and feet, a condition called thromboangiitis obliterans
• Changes in your heart condition that may precipitate the need for an electrocardiogram as well
• Peripheral artery disease, which is reduced blood circulation to your lower extremities
• Shrinking or hardening of your blood vessels
• Structural heart irregularities
• Damage to your blood vessels
• Blood clots in your leg veins, which I called deep vein thrombosis
• Swollen arteries or aneurysms
• The shrinking of an artery, called carotid artery stenosis when it occurs in your neck
• Congenital heart disease
• Heart valve defects
• Venous insufficiency, defined as poorly functioning valves in your leg veins, which can lead to the pooling of blood

A venous Doppler test allows to identify many potentially dangerous vascular problems. If they’re identified early enough, your doctor can take measures to cure them or preventative steps to stop them from deteriorating further.

What Does a Leg Doppler Test Show?

The venous Doppler exam has two components, which function concurrently. The two technologies work together seamlessly to provide your doctor with the most information possible. The two parts of the test are:

1. The first part is a two-dimensional echo that generates images of your veins.
2. The second part is the Doppler waves, which create the sounds you hear and allows your doctor to examine the flow of blood through your veins.

Your doctor needs the information provided by the venous Doppler exam if you have any suspected vascular problems. Your doctor may schedule an exam if you’re experiencing any relevant symptoms, such as:

• Difficulty breathing
• Unusual swelling of your legs, feet or torso
• Fatigue
• The sudden appearance of varicose veins

What Should I Expect During a Venous Doppler Exam?

In preparation for the exam, you need to remove any clothing covering the part of your body that your doctor wants to see. You have to put on a hospital gown. Once you’re ready, you lay on an examination table, and a sonographer applies a clear gel to the target area of your skin to enhance the image quality. The sonographer then presses the transducer, a handheld wand that emits the Doppler waves, somewhat forcefully onto your skin.