Vascular tests
Discover the health of blood vessels throughout your body with vascular tests at Montage Health. These tests can show how well blood flows to your legs, arms, and organs.
Types of vascular tests
You may benefit from:
- Doppler ultrasound (venous duplex) – Uses sound waves to show blood flow and blockages in arteries or veins
- Pulse volume recording – Takes blood pressure measurements and Doppler ultrasound images to help diagnose peripheral vascular disease (PVD)
- Peripheral angiography – Inserts a long, flexible tube called a catheter into a leg artery to check for signs of PVD
Doppler ultrasound
A Doppler test uses a special type of ultrasound that shows blood flow in part of your body.
For this scan, you lie on an exam table. A technician spreads a clear gel over your skin and moves a wand-like device called a transducer over it. The device bounces sound waves against your body, and a machine records changes in pitch as blood cells move.
Pulse volume recording (PVR)
Pulse volume recording includes both:
- Doppler ultrasound on your legs or ankles
- Ankle-brachial index (ABI), which uses a blood pressure cuff to compare the blood pressure in your ankle to the blood pressure in your arm
A health professional may record your vital signs before and after a stress test, during which you walk on a treadmill to see the effect of exercise on arteries in your legs.
Peripheral angiography
During peripheral angiography, your doctor inserts a thin, flexible tube called a catheter into an artery to look for blocked blood flow in your leg. If the blood vessel has a clot or plaque (fat buildup), your doctor can treat it during the test. Learn more about angiography at Tyler Heart Institute.
