Ultrasound Testing Specialist
Ultrasound technology is a particularly useful diagnostic tool for both cardiac and vascular conditions. At Prime Heart and Vascular, our experienced team provides cutting-edge onsite venous and arterial ultrasounds as well as echocardiograms – ultrasounds of your heart. To take advantage of the convenient ultrasound testing available, contact one of the Prime Heart and Vascular offices.
Ultrasound is a diagnostic technology that makes use of high-frequency sound waves. A tool called a transducer sends out the sound waves and transmits the echoes back to the machine’s computer for analysis.
The sound waves pass through your soft tissues and then bounce back off your heart or blood vessels, creating moving images that help your provider assess your cardiovascular health.
Ultrasound testing has several valuable uses in diagnosing heart disorders and vascular diseases.
What types of ultrasound testing assess heart conditions?
The primary use of ultrasound for heart problems is echocardiography. An echocardiogram is a specialized form of ultrasound that produces detailed pictures of your heart and its chambers.
The standard approach is to perform a transthoracic echocardiogram – a painless, noninvasive procedure where your technician passes the transducer across your chest. Sometimes the sound waves can’t create a clear enough picture from outside your body; for example, there may be scar tissue or fat blocking the way.
In this case, you might need to undergo a transesophageal echocardiogram, where the technician passes a transducer down your esophagus to get it closer to your heart.
You might need a stress echocardiogram to increase your heart rate if a routine test doesn’t reveal abnormalities.
What types of ultrasound testing assess vascular disorders?
Arterial and venous ultrasounds bounce sound waves off your veins and arteries to show any blockages, narrowed areas, or other vascular problems that affect circulation.
Doppler ultrasound is the most accurate way to assess the speed and direction of blood flow through your veins and arteries.
What conditions can ultrasound testing diagnose?
Ultrasound testing is an important method of diagnosing many cardiovascular conditions, including:
- Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
- Peripheral arterial disease (PAD)
- Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI)
- Carotid artery disease
- Coronary artery disease (CAD)
- Aneurysms
Your provider can use information from ultrasound testing to assess problems like varicose veins, which are often a symptom of chronic venous insufficiency. They can evaluate how well your current treatment program is working as well.
A common use of ultrasound technology is also to guide procedures such as balloon angioplasty and stenting.
To find out more about ultrasound testing and take advantage of the convenient onsite facilities at Prime Heart and Vascular, contact Prime Heart and Vascular today for a consultation