Vascular (venous and arterial) ultrasound scans provide valuable insights into the function of the blood vessels and circulatory system. They are an important tool for assessing blood clots and blockages, including deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

Doppler ultrasounds also enable the imaging of substances while they are moving through the body. This is especially useful for studying the rate of blood flow, and often forms part of a vascular, venous or arterial ultrasound scan.

An ultrasound scan works by using high-frequency sound waves, which are emitted from a special probe called a transducer. The transducer disperses the sound waves into your bodily tissues, and then records the echoes as they bounce off the different tissues and structures. A computer uses this information to generate an image of the body in real time.

The vascular system is responsible for transporting blood, oxygen and other important nutrients around the body. It is also called the circulatory system.

Ultrasound allows images to be captured of the veins and arteries, to check their health and function, and look for any abnormalities such as blockages.

Meanwhile, doppler ultrasound scans can record the rate of blood flow quickly and accurately. Doppler ultrasounds can be used to assess how blood is moving through your circulatory system. It can measure the speed and direction of blood flow, as this affects the change in pitch of the ultrasound waves.

Venous ultrasound produces images of the veins to check for clots and structural issues. Doppler ultrasound scans can identify any problems with the rate of blood flow, which could be a sign of a clot.

A carotid scan is actually an arterial scan. You have two carotid arteries, one on either side of your neck, and they supply the brain with oxygen. A carotid ultrasound scan will show the structure of these blood vessels, while a duplex or carotid doppler test will also include information about the rate of blood flow through the arteries.

A doppler for your legs is usually used to locate and assess a deep vein thrombosis (DVT), which is a blood clot that has formed in the deep veins of the leg, below the leg muscle, often in the calf area but they can also occur in the thigh area. Doppler tests can determine whether blood is flowing normally. If it isn’t, it could be a sign of a clot.

Transcranial doppler ultrasound checks the blood flow through the vessels in the brain, to check for potential stroke, narrowing of blood vessels, or tiny blood clots (cerebral microemboli) that can cause a mini stroke.

A doppler test that is often done while pregnant is a uterine doppler scan. It may be used if you are at risk of developing pre-eclampsia to check if your blood is flowing easily with little resistance, or if it has higher resistance.

When it comes to doppler ultrasound, pregnancy is a safe time to have an ultrasound as it is a non-invasive procedure.

Ultrasound scans enable images to be captured in real-time on a screen, and the images are usually in black and white, with different levels of shading based on the tissues being scanned.

Vascular ultrasound scans enable imaging of the circulatory system, including veins and arteries, the blood flowing through them, and their overall function.

Vascular ultrasound is an important tool for the detection and diagnosis of a wide range of circulatory problems. These include:

• Problems with the blood flow to organs and bodily tissues, such as reduced blood flow or increased blood flow, which could be a sign of infection
• Blockages and abnormalities, such as stenosis, plaque or embolisms
• Blood clots, such as deep vein thrombosis (DVT), usually in the legs or arms
• Aneurysms in the abdominal aorta
• Stroke risk in the carotid arteries
• Varicose veins
• Narrowing of the blood vessels
• Tumors