Blood flow studies
Alternative names:
duplex/Doppler ultrasound
How the test is performed:
For the Duplex/Doppler ultrasound:
Clothing from the area being monitored is removed, and a transducer with conductive gel on the tip is placed on various points along the artery being tested. This enables the technician to evaluate blood flow through the vein. The information is relayed to the ultrasound monitor to be viewed and recorded.
For a plethysmography:
Blood pressure is first monitored in both arms.
The clothing from the extremity being tested is removed and the patient lies in a supine (on the back, facing up) position. The blood pressure cuff is applied to the thigh and inflated until the pulsatile flow is on longer heard. Then the pressure is released from the cuff until the flow returns. The blood pressure is recorded and the information is transmitted to a computer that interprets and records the information.
The blood pressure cuff may be moved to other positions during the test. After the readings are taken, the patient may be re-tested while sitting up.
How to prepare for the test:
Clothing over the extremity being tested will be removed just before the test. Medications that alter blood flow will be monitored before the test.
Infants and children:
The physical and psychological preparation you can provide for this or any test or procedure depends on your child's age, interests, previous experience, and level of trust. For specific information regarding how you can prepare your child, see the following topics as they correspond to your child's age:
How the test will feel:
For the plethysmography, the blood pressure cuff will constrict the arm or leg, but there is pain.
Why the test is performed:
This test is a noninvasive (external) test used to determine if there is significant artery disease, if adequate blood is reaching an extremity, to evaluate trauma to an artery, or to monitor patients with arterial reconstruction or graphs. This test can also detect blood clots.
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