What are ultrasounds?
Ultrasound is an imaging technology that enables the Florida Lakes Vein Center team to diagnose problems in your veins accurately.
The ultrasound procedure is entirely safe, as it doesn't involve exposure to radiation, which technologies like X-rays and CT scans use. Ultrasounds are also noninvasive, so there are no injections or incisions to worry about.
Ultrasound technology uses sound waves that bounce off the tissues in your body to produce detailed, moving images. Your provider passes a hand-held device called a transducer over your skin that sends out the sound waves and receives the returning echoes.
The transducer relays the information it gathers to a computer system that uses the sound echoes to produce real-time illustrations on a monitor. Ultrasounds are painless, and you can't feel the sound waves traveling through your tissues.
Why would I need an ultrasound?
The team at Florida Lakes Vein Center uses ultrasounds to diagnose a variety of vein diseases, including:
Chronic venous insufficiency
Chronic venous insufficiency or venous reflux is a condition in which the valves in your leg veins that control the one-way flow of blood back to your heart stop working as they should. It's the primary cause of varicose veins and leg swelling, and can be the root cause of venous ulcers.
Deep vein thrombosis
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a blockage in a vein in your leg that restricts blood flow. It's possible for clots to break loose and pass along the veins to your lungs, with potentially life-threatening consequences.
As well as diagnosing conditions like these, the Florida Lakes Vein Center team uses ultrasounds to monitor the effectiveness of treatments and review your progress.
Are there different types of ultrasounds?
There are a great many specialized ultrasounds that perform specific functions, like echocardiogram for the heart. At Florida Lakes Vein Center, the team uses two primary types of ultrasound to examine your veins:
Doppler ultrasound
Doppler ultrasound assesses the flow of blood through your veins, highlighting areas where there's any restriction.
Duplex ultrasound
Duplex ultrasound combines Doppler with regular ultrasound. This provides images of the vein structure as well as blood flow.
If you need an ultrasound, Florida Lakes Vein Center has on-site facilities for your convenience. Call for more information or book an appointment online today.
