5 Vascular Conditions We Can Detect or Assess with Ultrasound Testing

While ultrasound technology may be best known for its prenatal use, its value as a noninvasive medical imaging device makes ultrasound a valuable tool in many fields of medicine. Diagnosing problems with blood vessels is one of these ultrasound applications. 

Vascular ultrasounds are one of our specialties at Advanced Vascular Cardiac & Veins in Miami, Florida. We use ultrasound imaging to evaluate many conditions. Today we’re examining five common vascular conditions that we can detect or assess with ultrasound testing. 

The role of ultrasound

High-frequency sound waves provide an ideal energy source for creating detailed images of soft tissue in the body, including blood vessels. X-ray imaging can’t produce images of blood vessels without first injecting a contrast medium into your bloodstream. 

Ultrasound also has another advantage over X-rays: Your body isn’t exposed to radiation. While X-rays are generally safe, exposure can be cumulative over time, and in rare cases it’s possible to suffer from overexposure. 

5 vascular conditions we can detect and assess with ultrasound testing

Since ultrasound is a safe, convenient, and noninvasive way of “seeing” blood vessels, it’s easy to choose when you need an evaluation of the way blood moves through your body. 

Typically, you’ll display symptoms that suggest vascular disorders, and ultrasound imaging can confirm or rule out these conditions with a high level of accuracy. 

While not limited to these five common ailments, ultrasound is a key diagnostic step in detecting or confirming: 

Peripheral artery disease (PAD)

Affecting the arms and legs, peripheral artery disease (PAD) develops when the flow of blood doesn’t meet the demands of the local areas of the body. 

Most commonly, PAD occurs in the legs, often causing a problem called claudication, where your legs hurt when you walk, along with other symptoms like cramping, numbness, weakness, or weak pulses in the affected limb. 

Carotid artery stenosis

The carotid arteries are the key suppliers of blood to the brain. Restrictions in blood flow to the brain can cause signs like: 

• Blurred vision
• Memory loss
• Confusion
• Reduced cognitive ability affecting memory, reasoning, and speech
• Localized muscle weakness or numbness

Narrowing, medically called stenosis, happens when fatty plaque deposits coat the inner walls of the carotid arteries, blocking the free movement of blood. 

Venous insufficiency

While veins can also suffer from stenosis, it’s more common for tiny valves within veins to fail, permitting the backward flow of blood away from the heart instead of returning toward it. Blood starts to pool, increasing pressure on vein walls, which in turn causes additional valves to fail. 

Venous insufficiency also affects the legs more often than the arms, causing problems like varicose veins and deep vein thrombosis. 

Renal artery stenosis

A major cause of high blood pressure, renal artery stenosis affects one or both of the main arteries in the kidneys. Restricted blood flow reduces the efficiency with which your kidneys filter waste. 

Blood clots

Often formed from other vascular problems, including things like deep vein thrombosis, blood clots pose a serious health risk if they break off and start moving toward the lungs. If they reach the lungs, they can cause a pulmonary embolism, a potentially deadly condition if not treated promptly. 

Find out more about the benefits of ultrasound imaging by meeting with Dr. Enrique Hernandez and his team at Advanced Vascular Cardiac & Veins. Contact the nearest of our two Miami locations by phone or online today.