Vascular testing is an important method to determine the cause of vein problems as well as artery problems.  Non-invasive ultrasound testing is an essential ingredient of modern vascular diagnosis. 

When patients come to the Big Country Vein Relief  Center for consultation, an ultrasound diagnostic test is performed as part of the evaluation. When the consultation is completed, patients know what caused the vascular problem and what can be done to correct the vein or artery insufficiency.

All of the vascular testing is non-invasive.  This means there are no needle sticks and no catheters inserted into veins or arteries.  Ultrasound imaging and ultrasound detected blood flow provide the science and technology for the diagnosis of nearly every vascular malady.

The veins of the body and especially the legs are imaged with duplex ultrasound.  This technology provides a direct image of the veins while simultaneously measuring the presence or absence of blood flow.  Findings include the presence or absence of blood clots, the size of the veins, the direction of blood flow in the veins including reflux through vein valves, vein incompetence, and the cause of specific vein abnormalities.  This is the most accurate non-invasive vein test of today's high tech medical diagnostic options.

The arteries of the body can be evaluated by both duplex ultrasound and continuous wave ultrasound.  The duplex examination provides an image of the artery and an analysis of blood flowing through the artery at selected sites.  Artery problems such as the following can be accurately detected:
 
Arteries taking blood flow to the legs often become blocked from atherosclerosis or other causes.  Patients who smoke and those with diabetes are at the greatest risk for this problem.  Pain in the toe or foot which is worse at night, a non-healing ulcer on the foot or leg, and pain in the leg when walking are all possible signs of a serious artery blockage which can lead to amputation if not corrected..  These problems are detected with the various ultrasound methods in the office, and other diagnostic tests and/or treatment methods are recommended.