What Is Vascular Sonography?

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Vascular sonography is a form of medical imaging used to evaluate blood flow in the veins and arteries. Doctors order vascular ultrasounds if they suspect issues with a patient’s arteries or veins like blockages, blood clots, or aneurysms. Although most forms of medical imaging, like CT scans, X-rays, and MRIs, use radiation to provide an internal view of the human body, medical sonography does not. Instead, it uses sound waves to form images of internal organs and structures of the body.

What Happens During a Vascular Ultrasound?

During a vascular ultrasound, you lie down on a medical exam table while Ultrasound Technician applies apply gel to the target area and uses a mechanical wand called a transducer to generate the images of the blood vessels. As they pass the transducer over the surface of the body, the sound waves it creates bounce off of the blood vessels and produces images on a monitor. The Tech will check the images for quality and clarity and then submit them to the doctor for an official diagnosis.

What Does Vascular Sonography Detect?

Vascular sonography shows doctors how blood flows through the veins and arteries of the neck, arms and legs. It provides detailed images of the blood vessels and soft tissue surrounding them, which can provide markers for conditions such as:

  • Blood clots, particularly those present in deep vein thrombosis, which affects the legs
  • Atherosclerosis, or plaque buildup in the arteries
  • Aneurysms, which are bulging or weakening blood vessels
  • Chronic venous insufficiency, a condition where the veins in the legs become damaged and cannot pump blood back up to the heart
  • Varicose veins, or weakened veins that become enlarged and twisted

Vascular sonography is also used to monitor patient progress, particularly after angioplasty, which is a surgical procedure used to open narrow blood vessels. And if you had an organ transplant, vascular sonography would be used to check the flow of blood to the new organ.

Who Performs the Vascular Ultrasound?

A Medical Sonographer with advanced training in vascular sonography performs the sonography exams. The Vascular Sonographer prepares the patient, manages and calibrates equipment, and performs the actual ultrasound. The images and data collected from the scans are passed on to the doctor and are analyzed for abnormalities. Vascular Sonographers may also be responsible for providing patients with details about their procedure and if any follow-up visits are needed.

What are the Benefits of Vascular Sonography?

One of the benefits of vascular sonography is the fact that it requires no radiation, which makes them an ideal procedure for pregnant women or patients who can’t endure radiation. They’re also noninvasive and painless procedures that don’t require the use of contrast dyes, which some patients may be allergic to. And they’re more cost-effective procedures than other types of medical imaging, such as MRIs or CT scans. But sometimes CT scans or MRIs may be necessary after vascular sonography. For example, a doctor may need images of blood vessels located deep inside the body, or calcified blood vessels may prevent an ultrasound from being effective.

Vascular sonography is a specialized area of medical imaging that uses high-frequency sound waves and can help physicians diagnose circulatory issues early. It’s a critical part of modern medicine and the medical sonographers qualified to perform the tests are in high demand. If you’re interested in becoming a Vascular Sonographer, contact Charter College today! We offer an Advanced Certificate in Vascular Sonography that can prepare you for a career in this specialization. Call 888-200-9942 or fill out the form to learn more.