Vascular ultrasound is a safe, painless test used to take pictures of blood vessels and blood flow to diagnose disorders of the arteries and veins of the body’s circulatory system.
If your doctor suspects that you have vascular disease, you will be glad to know Emerson Hospital is home to an accredited Non-invasive Vascular Laboratory Center of Excellence, conveniently located on our main campus in Concord.
All testing at our vascular laboratory is performed on state-of-the-art imaging equipment and interpreted by our own board-certified radiologists, who are trained and credentialed in reading non-invasive vascular imaging—giving your doctor the information needed to accurately diagnose vascular disease and determine the best course of treatment.
In addition to a full range of vascular ultrasound testing, Emerson provides other diagnostic testing, such as segmental pressures and pulse volume recordings, to detect vascular disease.
Why vascular ultrasound is performed
Vascular ultrasound is used to detect and diagnose a range of conditions affecting the circulatory system, including:
- Carotid artery disease (narrowing of the arteries that supply oxygen-rich blood to the brain)
- Peripheral arterial disease (PAD)
- Venous insufficiency (when the flow of blood through the veins is inadequate, causing blood to pool in the legs)
- Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA)
- Visceral vascular disorders (narrowing of the arteries that supply blood to the intestines, spleen and liver)
- Varicose veins
- Non-healing wounds
What vascular ultrasound involves
No special preparation is needed for a vascular ultrasound. It is best to wear loose-fitting clothing and, depending on which area of your body is being examined, you may be asked to change into a gown when you arrive for your exam.
During the exam, a specially trained Emerson sonographer will apply gel to your skin in the area being examined (this eliminates any air pockets between your skin and the device), then press a small hand-held transducer against your skin and move it over the area.
The transducer sends information to a computer, which produces detailed images based on the patterns created by the sound waves.
An ultrasound exam is generally a painless procedure, and a typical exam takes from 30 minutes to an hour. You are free to resume all normal activities after your test.
To obtain vascular ultrasound test results
By law, this requires a signed medical records release form and photo identification. To make a request, please call:
To Schedule an appointment
To schedule an appointment for an ultrasound, please call
978-287-3003.
