Step-by-Step Guide to Venous Ultrasound: What to Expect and How to Prepare
Did your doctor recommend you have a venous ultrasound? It is a medical test that uses sound waves to produce images of the veins in the body. It is mostly used for blood clots, especially those that occur in the veins of the leg due to a condition called deep vein thrombosis. It is a risk-free test that produces instant and accurate results. Learn a step-by-step guide to venous ultrasound and what to expect in this ultrasound test. Get a consultation with the best cardiologists in Brooklyn.
Procedure
Usually, you don’t need to prepare anything for this ultrasound. However, you can wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothes for the examination or may need to change into a gown for the procedure. You may need to change into a gown for the test.
Here’s the step-by-step guide on how venous ultrasound may take place:
- You need to lie face-up on the ultrasound table that can be tilted or moved when required. You may need to turn your body to either side to get a clear image of the affected area.
- The technician applies a clear water-based gel to the part of your body under examination which helps the transducer (the ultrasound machine) to make secure contact with the body. It also eliminates the chance of air pockets between the transducer and your skin in various locations when it sweeps over the area of interest.
- The technician will adjust the transducer and ultrasound table to make sure your affected part is under the transducer. Then, the technician activates the transducer, which produces a sound beam from a different angle to get a better image of the area of concern. The sound waves may be a little discomforting but not painful. These sound beams will reflect after hitting your body to the transducer to produce images. Those images will be on the computer for the doctor to examine.
This test may take around 30 to 45 minutes and you go home right after the exam.
Precautions
You don’t need to take any precautions as there are no needles or anything else inserted into your body that you should be concerned about. This ultrasound is completely painless and has no side effects.
Benefits
- It is a painless test because it doesn’t include needles or injections.
- It may make temporarily uncomfortable, but it doesn’t cause pain.
- It is easy to use and less expensive than other imaging tests such as X-rays or CT scans. Even some insurance covers this test.
- It’s very safe and doesn’t include radiation.
- Ultrasound produces a clearer picture of soft tissues that aren’t picked up well in X-ray images and produces faster results.
- Venous ultrasound also detects blood clots in the veins of the legs before they break up and pass to the lungs. It also shows the movement of blood within blood vessels.
- When you compare venous ultrasound to venography, you need to inject a contrast dye into a vein to see the blood flow in the x-ray machine. However, an ultrasound doesn’t need any dye to detect blood clots in the veins of the thigh down to the knee. In the calf, veins are so small that ultrasound struggles to produce accurate results. However venous clots usually occur in the larger veins for which venous ultrasound is a better choice.
Risks
There’s no risk involved as ultrasound has no harmful effects on humans.
Test results
Your test results are interpreted by a vascular surgeon and then sent to your healthcare provider. If your test results are normal, your healthcare provider recommends you adopt some lifestyle changes to prevent any unusual vascular signs and symptoms.
In case your test result indicates vascular disease, then your doctor may recommend either more testing to clear their doubts or create your treatment accordingly.
These are the steps of venous ultrasound you should expect and make preparations accordingly. While it is a simple test that gives amazingly fast and accurate results. However, the only drawback is it may not have a high accuracy in showing problems in calf veins. But if a doctor recommends venous ultrasound for any vascular disease that affects large veins and arteries then it is the best option.
If you need to take venous or any other ultrasound for vascular problems, come to our vascular clinic in Brooklyn, where you don’t need to go anywhere for tests and treatment. All in one place! Get your appointment today and improve your vascular health. For any vascular problems, call us on +1(347) 384-5690. The Cardiologists at Doral Health & Wellness consistently have outstanding patient satisfaction ratings. The professionals at Heart Specialist Brooklyn can greatly improve their patient’s health and quality of life because of their vast training and experience. New Yorkers can get the greatest medical, surgical, and cardiovascular care at Doral Health & Wellness Brooklyn. Visit us at 1797 Pitkin Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11212.