This test uses sound waves to examine parts of the body. It specifically looks at fluid motion in the blood vessels.
Doppler ultrasound is used to:
Your doctor may do the following:
In some cases your doctor may instruct you to:
You will lie on a table. Your doctor will put a gel on the skin over the area that is to be examined. The gel helps the sound waves travel between the machine and your body.
The ultrasound machine has a hand-held instrument called a transducer, which looks like a microphone or wand. The transducer is pushed against your skin where the gel was applied. The transducer sends sound waves into your body. The waves bounce off your internal organs and echo back to the transducer. The echoes are converted to images that are shown on a screen. The doctor examines the images on the screen. He may make a photograph of them as well.
You may be asked to change positions or hold your breath during the exam.
The gel will be cleaned from your body. In most cases, you will be able to return to normal activities.
About 20-30 minutes
No
RESOURCES:
American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine
http://www.aium.org/
Radiology Info
http://www.radiologyinfo.org/
CANADIAN RESOURCES:
The College of Family Physicians of Canada
http://www.cfpc.ca/
Health Canada
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/index-eng.php/
References:
General ultrasound imaging. Radiology Info website. Available at: http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?PG=genus. Updated June 2009. Accessed July 24, 2009.
Lewis JA. Illustrated Guide to Diagnostic Tests. Springhouse, PA: Springhouse Corporation; 1994.
Ultrasound. National Library of Medicine, Medline Plus website. Available at: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ultrasound.html. Accessed July 24, 2009.
Last reviewed October 2009 by Marcin Chwistek, MD
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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