Duplex Ultrasound
Duplex ultrasound combines Doppler flow information and conventional imaging information, sometimes called B-mode, to allow physicians to see the structure of your blood vessels.
Duplex ultrasound shows how 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 amount of obstruction, if any, in the blood vessel.
Conventional ultrasound uses painless sound waves higher than the human ear can detect that bounce off blood vessels. A computer converts the sound waves into two-dimensional, black and white moving pictures called B-mode images.
Doppler ultrasound measures how sound waves reflect off moving objects. A wand bounces short bursts of sound waves off red blood cells and sends the information to a computer. Doppler ultrasound produces two-dimensional color images that show if blood flow is affected by problems in the blood vessels, such as cholesterol deposits.
Duplex ultrasound uses the two forms of ultrasound together. The conventional ultrasound shows the structure of your blood vessels and the Doppler ultrasound shows the movement of your red blood cells through the vessels. Duplex ultrasound produces images that can be color coded to show physicians where your blood flow is severely blocked as well as the speed and direction of blood flow.
Duplex ultrasounds help diagnose and examine conditions that affect the blood vessels. These conditions include:
Conventional ultrasound uses painless sound waves higher than the human ear can detect that bounce off blood vessels. A computer converts the sound waves into two-dimensional, black and white moving pictures called B-mode images.
Doppler ultrasound measures how sound waves reflect off moving objects. A wand bounces short bursts of sound waves off red blood cells and sends the information to a computer. Doppler ultrasound produces two-dimensional color images that show if blood flow is affected by problems in the blood vessels, such as cholesterol deposits.
Duplex ultrasound uses the two forms of ultrasound together. The conventional ultrasound shows the structure of your blood vessels and the Doppler ultrasound shows the movement of your red blood cells through the vessels. Duplex ultrasound produces images that can be color coded to show physicians where your blood flow is severely blocked as well as the speed and direction of blood flow.
Duplex ultrasounds help diagnose and examine conditions that affect the blood vessels. These conditions include:
- Carotid occlusive disease
- Deep vein thrombosis
- Leg artery disease
- Arm artery disease
- Aortoiliac occlusive disease
- Varicose veins
- Aneurysms in your abdomen or extremeties