The following may well answer some of the questions you have in relation to ultrasound.
Please click on the Diagnostic Examination that you are undertaking (below) to see information on what to expect when visiting your sonographer at Northern Sydney Vascular.
| What is ultrasound? | Why am I having this test? | What are we looking for? | What will I need to do for the test? | How will I get my results? |
| Ultrasound is a non-invasive method of imaging inside the body. There is no radiation, magnets or radio waves and as a result it is very safe. Patients with for example pacemakers or other metal objects in their body do not need to worry when having an ultrasound. The sonographer will use the ultrasound probe on the surface of your skin to see exactly what is happening within the blood vessels in your body. The gel that the sonographer applies to the skin is non-toxic. This gel allows the sonographer to move the probe freely across the skin and also helps to improve the image quality. | If you have experienced symptoms associated with TIA (mini strokes) or if your doctor believes your risk factors place you at significant danger of having carotid artery disease then they may ask you to have the carotid arteries investigated. Stroke type symptoms can include visual disturbances, weakness, tingling or numbness on one side of your body, problems speaking or swallowing. | The carotid artery ultrasound scan will image the common carotid, external carotid, internal carotid, subclavian and vertebral arteries. We will check both sides of your neck. We use colour and pulsed wave doppler modalites to throughouly investigate each of the arteries and determine how significant any plaque/disease may be. | Arrive 5 minutes before your appointment time to allow any paperwork to be completed. Please use the toilet in this time prior to your scan. Once you have been called into the ultrasound room you will need to lie down on the couch with your head on the pillow. You will just need to make sure your neck is clear of any clothing, large jewllery etc. Usually just removing your jacket/sweater will allow the sonographer enough room to access your neck. Once you are ready the sonographer will tuck paper towel around your collar and then begin the scan. The gel will be cold and the ultrasound probe will be pressed gently on your neck. The scan usually takes 10-30 minutes. | The sonographer will check through the images and produce a worksheet with the relevant information which is then rechecked by the vascular surgeon. If you are seeing one of our specialists on the same day as the scan then they will be able to give the result immediately. Otherwise your report will be sent back to the referrer within a day or two. You can contact the referer to arrange a time to discuss the results. If the sonographer identifies any urgent problems then they will discuss it with our vascular specialists and your referrer immediately and let you know if you need to do anything further. |
| What is ultrasound? | Why am I having this test? | What are we looking for? | What will I need to do for the test? | How will I get my results? |
| Ultrasound is a non-invasive method of imaging inside the body. There is no radiation, magnets or radio waves and as a result it is very safe. Patients with for example pacemakers or other metal objects in their body do not need to worry when having an ultrasound. The sonographer will use the ultrasound probe on the surface of your skin to see exactly what is happening within the blood vessels in your body. The gel that the sonographer applies to the skin is non-toxic. This gel allows the sonographer to move the probe freely across the skin and also helps to improve the image quality. | Symptoms that indicate an upper limb arterial ultrasound scan usually include you having very cold painful fingers or hands. In come cases you may have numbness, discolouration or ulceration of the fingers . You may have already undergone a different procedure, for example an angiogram, where the doctors have accessed the arteries in the arm. If this is has happened the doctors may want to confirm that there has been no damage to the artery during this process. | The upper limb arterial ultrasound scan will image the brachiocephalic, subclavian, axillary, brachial, radial and ulnar arteries. We use colour and pulsed wave doppler modalites to throughouly investigate each of the arteries and determine how significant any plaque/disease may be. | Arrive 5 minutes before your appointment time to allow any paperwork to be completed. Please use the toilet in this time prior to your scan. Once you have been called into the ultrasound room you will need to remove some clothing. The sonographer will let you know exactly what you need to remove however you will most likely need to take off any clothes that cover your arms/shoulder area. If you are wearing a singlet you may be able to leave this on.You may leave your bra on if you are wearing one although the sonographer may need to move the strap slightly whilst scanning across the shoulder area. Once you are ready the sonographer will instruct you to either lie down on the bed or sit on the side of the bed. The gel will be cold and the ultrasound probe will be pressed gently across your neck, shoulder and arm all the way to your wrist. Your sonographer will instruct you if you need to move your arm to ensure all the arteries can be imaged. The scan usually takes 10-20 minutes per arm. | The sonographer will check through the images and produce a worksheet with the relevant information which is then rechecked by the vascular surgeon. If you are seeing one of our specialists on the same day as the scan then they will be able to give the result immediately. Otherwise your report will be sent back to the referrer within a day or two. You can contact the referer to arrange a time to discuss the results. If the sonographer identifies any urgent problems then they will discuss it with our vascular specialists and your referrer immediately and let you know if you need to do anything further. |
| What is ultrasound? | Why am I having this test? | What are we looking for? | What will I need to do for the test? | How will I get my results? |
| Ultrasound is a non-invasive method of imaging inside the body. There is no radiation, magnets or radio waves and as a result it is very safe. Patients with for example pacemakers or other metal objects in their body do not need to worry when having an ultrasound. The sonographer will use the ultrasound probe on the surface of your skin to see exactly what is happening within the blood vessels in your body. The gel that the sonographer applies to the skin is non-toxic. This gel allows the sonographer to move the probe freely across the skin and also helps to improve the image quality. | Symtoms that indicate and upper limb venous ultrasound to check for deep vein thrombosis usually include pain and swelling of the arm. | The upper limb venous ultrasound scan will image the brachiocephalic, subclavian, axillary, brachial, radial and ulnar deep veins. Also included are the superficial cephalic and basilic veins. We use b-mode and colour doppler as well as compression to determine if there is any thrombosis present. | Arrive 5 minutes before your appointment time to allow any paperwork to be completed. Please use the toilet in this time prior to your scan. Once you have been called into the ultrasound room you will need to remove some clothing. The sonographer will let you know exactly what you need to remove however you will most likely need to take off any clothes that cover your arms/shoulder area. If you are wearing a singlet you may be able to leave this on. You may leave your bra on if you are wearing one although the sonographer may need to move the strap slightly whilst scanning across the shoulder area. Once you are ready the sonographer will instruct you to either lie down on the bed or sit on the side of the bed. The gel will be cold and the ultrasound probe will be pressed gently across your neck, shoulder and arm all the way to your wrist. Your sonographer will instruct you if you need to move your arm to ensure all the veins can be imaged. The scan usually takes 10-20 minutes per arm. | The sonographer will check through the images and produce a worksheet with the relevant information which is then rechecked by the vascular surgeon. If you are seeing one of our specialists on the same day as the scan then they will be able to give the result immediately. Otherwise your report will be sent back to the referrer within a day or two. You can contact the referer to arrange a time to discuss the results. If the sonographer identifies any urgent problems then they will discuss it with our vascular specialists and your referrer immediately and let you know if you need to do anything further. |
| What is ultrasound? | Why am I having this test? | What are we looking for? | What will I need to do for the test? | How will I get my results? |
| Ultrasound is a non-invasive method of imaging inside the body. There is no radiation, magnets or radio waves and as a result it is very safe. Patients with for example pacemakers or other metal objects in their body do not need to worry when having an ultrasound. The sonographer will use the ultrasound probe on the surface of your skin to see exactly what is happening within the blood vessels in your body. The gel that the sonographer applies to the skin is non-toxic. This gel allows the sonographer to move the probe freely across the skin and also helps to improve the image quality. | If your renal physician has asked the vascular surgeons to create an arteriovenous fistula to prepare you for possible future dialysis we will need to investigate your upper limb vascular system. | The upper limb ultrasound scan will involve the superficial veins and your arteries. We use b-mode, colour and pulsed wave doppler to map the veins and arteries in order to assess the suitablity for fistula creation. | Arrive 5 minutes before your appointment time to allow any paperwork to be completed. Please use the toilet in this time prior to your scan. Once you have been called into the ultrasound room you will need to remove some clothing. The sonographer will let you know exactly what you need to remove however you will most likely need to take off any clothes that cover your arms/shoulder area. If you are wearing a singlet you may be able to leave this on. Leave your bra on if you are wearing one although the sonographer may need to move the strap slightly whilst scanning across the shoulder area. Once you are ready the sonographer will instruct you to either lie down on the bed or sit on the side of the bed. The gel will be cold and the ultrasound probe will be pressed gently across your neck, shoulder and arm all the way to your wrist. Your sonographer will instruct you if you need to move your arm to ensure all the veins and arteries can be imaged. The scan usually takes 10-20 minutes per arm. | The sonographer will check through the images and produce a worksheet with the relevant information which is then rechecked by the vascular surgeon. If you are seeing one of our specialists on the same day as the scan then they will be able to give the result immediately. Otherwise your report will be sent back to the referrer within a day or two. You can contact the referer to arrange a time to discuss the results. If the sonographer identifies any urgent problems then they will discuss it with our vascular specialists and your referrer immediately and let you know if you need to do anything further. |
| What is ultrasound? | Why am I having this test? | What are we looking for? | What will I need to do for the test? | How will I get my results? |
| Ultrasound is a non-invasive method of imaging inside the body. There is no radiation, magnets or radio waves and as a result it is very safe. Patients with for example pacemakers or other metal objects in their body do not need to worry when having an ultrasound. The sonographer will use the ultrasound probe on the surface of your skin to see exactly what is happening within the blood vessels in your body. The gel that the sonographer applies to the skin is non-toxic. This gel allows the sonographer to move the probe freely across the skin and also helps to improve the image quality. | Once the arteriovenous fistula has been created it is important to ensure that it remains in good working condition. During the early development stage your doctor may ask that the fistula is scanned to ensure it is maturing adequately. If you are already using the fistula your dialysis nurses/renal doctors may request that the fistula is imaged if they notice any problems during dialysis; for example needling problems, high/low venous pressures or prolonged bleeding after the needles are removed. | The arteriovenous fistula ultrasound scan will involve the inflow (artery) and outflow (vein). We use b-mode, colour and pulsed wave doppler to map the fistula and measure the volume of flow passing through the fistula. We will access for any significant narrowing or dilation that may result in difficulty using the fistula for dialysis. | Arrive 5 minutes before your appointment time to allow any paperwork to be completed. Once you have been called into the ultrasound room you will need to remove some clothing. The sonographer will let you know exactly what you need to remove depending on the location of your fistula. If your fistula is in the upper arm (at the elbow level) you will likely need to take off any clothes that cover your arms/shoulder area. If you are wearing a singlet you may be able to leave this on. Leave your bra on if you are wearing one although the sonographer may need to move the strap slightly whilst scanning across the shoulder area. Once you are ready the sonographer will instruct you to either lie down on the bed or sit on the side of the bed. The gel will be cold and the ultrasound probe will be pressed gently across your arm in the region of the fistula. In some cases the entire arm up to the neck may need to be imaged to fully assess the fistula. Your sonographer will instruct you if you need to move your arm to ensure all the veins and arteries can be imaged. The scan usually takes 15-30 minutes. | The sonographer will check through the images and produce a worksheet with the relevant information which is then rechecked by the vascular surgeon. If you are seeing one of our specialists on the same day as the scan then they will be able to give the result immediately. Otherwise your report will be sent back to the referrer within a day or two. You can contact the referer to arrange a time to discuss the results. If the sonographer identifies any urgent problems then they will discuss it with our vascular specialists and your referrer immediately and let you know if you need to do anything further. |
| What is ultrasound? | Why am I having this test? | What are we looking for? | What will I need to do for the test? | How will I get my results? |
| Ultrasound is a non-invasive method of imaging inside the body. There is no radiation, magnets or radio waves and as a result it is very safe. Patients with for example pacemakers or other metal objects in their body do not need to worry when having an ultrasound. The sonographer will use the ultrasound probe on the surface of your skin to see exactly what is happening within the blood vessels in your body. The gel that the sonographer applies to the skin is non-toxic. This gel allows the sonographer to move the probe freely across the skin and also helps to improve the image quality. | Thoracic outlet syndrome symtoms can be complicated however typical symptoms include pain,numbness,weakness or discomfort in the shoulder/arms. These symptoms often occur during some kind of physical activity e.g drying your hair with a hair dryer or painting a ceiling. | The thoracic outlet ultrasound scan will involve checking both the artery and vein in the shoulder region particularly the area adjacent to the clavicle. We use b-mode, colour and pulsed wave doppler to investigate the changes in blood flow at the clavicle region when the arm is moved into our standard positions. This includes the arm abducted to 90 degrees, a stop position, salute and 180 degree abduction. If you feel that there are particular positions that reproduce your symtoms please let the sonographer know and they will try to image the blood flow in these positions. Please be aware though that it isnt possible to scan the shoulder region in all positions that cause the symptoms but the sonographer will try to accomodate them where possible. | Arrive 5 minutes before your appointment time to allow any paperwork to be completed. Please use the toilet in this time prior to your scan. Once you have been called into the ultrasound room you will need to remove some clothing. The sonographer will let you know exactly what you need to remove depending on the location of your fistula. If your fistula is in the upper arm (at the elbow level) you will likely need to take off any clothes that cover your arms/shoulder area. If you are wearing a singlet you may be able to leave this on. Leave your bra on if you are wearing one although the sonographer may need to move the strap slightly whilst scanning across the shoulder area. Once you are ready the sonographer will instruct you to sit on the side of the bed with your arms resting on a pillow in front of you. The gel will be cold and the ultrasound probe will be pressed gently across your neck, shoulder and upper arm. They will access the arteries and veins with you seated at rest before progressing to the arm manouvres. If you are unable to perform any of the arm positions don't worry just let the sonographer know. | The sonographer will check through the images and produce a worksheet with the relevant information which is then rechecked by the vascular surgeon. If you are seeing one of our specialists on the same day as the scan then they will be able to give the result immediately. Otherwise your report will be sent back to the referrer within a day or two. You can contact the referer to arrange a time to discuss the results. If the sonographer identifies any urgent problems then they will discuss it with our vascular specialists and your referrer immediately and let you know if you need to do anything further. |
| What is ultrasound? | Why am I having this test? | What are we looking for? | What will I need to do for the test? | How will I get my results? |
| Ultrasound is a non-invasive method of imaging inside the body. There is no radiation, magnets or radio waves and as a result it is very safe. Patients with for example pacemakers or other metal objects in their body do not need to worry when having an ultrasound. The sonographer will use the ultrasound probe on the surface of your skin to see exactly what is happening within the blood vessels in your body. The gel that the sonographer applies to the skin is non-toxic. This gel allows the sonographer to move the probe freely across the skin and also helps to improve the image quality. | Abdominal aortic aneurysms are often undetected and found incidentally during investigation for other health problems. Sometimes your physican may have felt your abdomen and been concerned they could feel a pulsatile mass. | The abdominal aorta aneurysm ultrasound scan will involve checking the abdominal arteries including, aorta, renal, common iliac, proximal internal iliac and external iliac arteries. We use b-mode, colour and pulsed wave doppler to check the blood flow and for aneurysmal dilation (size/diameter) of the arteries. We will also check to see if there is any narrowing or blockage in these arteries. | When you book this scan you will be asked to fast (not eat or drink) for 4 hours prior to your appointment time. Take all of your medication as normal.If yopu are diabetic or have medication that needs to be taken with food then please eat as normally. Arrive 5 minutes before your appointment time to allow any paperwork to be completed. Please use the toilet in this time prior to your scan. Once you have been called into the ultrasound room you may need to remove some clothing. The sonographer will ask you to lift all your clothing off your abdomen up to the level of your ribs. You will also need to lower your trousers/underwear slightly onto your hips. Once you are ready the sonographer will instruct you to lie on your back on the couch. The gel will be cold and the ultrasound probe will be pressed firmly on your tummy area. Normally your sonographer will ask you to keep your arms to your sides and to try and relax your tummy and not "push back" at the ultrasound probe. The scan can be a bit uncomfortable although this depends on how much gas you have in your abdomen at the time of the scan. Typically a scan of the aorta and iliac arteries will take between 15-30 minutes. | The sonographer will check through the images and produce a worksheet with the relevant information which is then rechecked by the vascular surgeon. If you are seeing one of our specialists on the same day as the scan then they will be able to give the result immediately. Otherwise your report will be sent back to the referrer within a day or two. You can contact the referer to arrange a time to discuss the results. If the sonographer identifies any urgent problems then they will discuss it with our vascular specialists and your referrer immediately and let you know if you need to do anything further. |
| What is ultrasound? | Why am I having this test? | What are we looking for? | What will I need to do for the test? | How will I get my results? |
| Ultrasound is a non-invasive method of imaging inside the body. There is no radiation, magnets or radio waves and as a result it is very safe. Patients with for example pacemakers or other metal objects in their body do not need to worry when having an ultrasound. The sonographer will use the ultrasound probe on the surface of your skin to see exactly what is happening within the blood vessels in your body. The gel that the sonographer applies to the skin is non-toxic. This gel allows the sonographer to move the probe freely across the skin and also helps to improve the image quality. | If you have had an abdominal aorta aneurysm repaired using and endovascular graft then it is important that you have it checked routinely. Minor problems with the endovascular graft repair can be seen using ultrasound but show no symptoms. Routine ultrasound scans of the endovascular graft allow the doctor to determine if there are any problems developing associated with the aneurysm or endovascular graft. | The endovascular graft (EVG) surveillance ultrasound will involve checking the graft attachment sites, the limbs of the graft, the renal arteries, the abdominal aorta and the iliac arteries below the EVG. The residual aneurysm sac will also be measured and carefully investigated to see if there is any expansion of the sac or any flow within it. | When you book this scan you will be asked to fast (not eat or drink) for 4 hours prior to your appointment time. Take all of your medication as normal.If you are a diabetic or require medication that needs to be taken with food then please eat as normal.Arrive 5 minutes before your appointment time to allow any paperwork to be completed. Please use the toilet in this time prior to your scan. Once you have been called into the ultrasound room you may need to remove some clothing. The sonographer will ask you to lift all your clothing off your abdomen up to the level of your ribs. You will also need to lower your trousers/underwear slightly onto your hips. Once you are ready the sonographer will instruct you to lie on your back on the couch. The gel will be cold and the ultrasound probe will be pressed firmly on your tummy area. Normally your sonographer will ask you to keep your arms to your sides and to try and relax your tummy and not "push back" at the ultrasound probe. The scan can be a bit uncomfortable although this depends on how much gas you have in your abdomen at the time of the scan. Typically a scan of the endovascular graft will take between 15-30 minutes. | The sonographer will check through the images and produce a worksheet with the relevant information which is then rechecked by the vascular surgeon. If you are seeing one of our specialists on the same day as the scan then they will be able to give the result immediately. Otherwise your report will be sent back to the referrer within a day or two. You can contact the referer to arrange a time to discuss the results. If the sonographer identifies any urgent problems then they will discuss it with our vascular specialists and your referrer immediately and let you know if you need to do anything further. |
| What is ultrasound? | Why am I having this test? | What are we looking for? | What will I need to do for the test? | How will I get my results? |
| Ultrasound is a non-invasive method of imaging inside the body. There is no radiation, magnets or radio waves and as a result it is very safe. Patients with for example pacemakers or other metal objects in their body do not need to worry when having an ultrasound. The sonographer will use the ultrasound probe on the surface of your skin to see exactly what is happening within the blood vessels in your body. The gel that the sonographer applies to the skin is non-toxic. This gel allows the sonographer to move the probe freely across the skin and also helps to improve the image quality. | If you are experiencing problems with walking or exercise your doctor may consider checking the blood flow in the arteries that supply the legs. Claudication is a condition where you will experience pain or cramping within the muscles of the legs when walking. This symptom will be fairly consistent and occur repeatedly when you doing the same activity, for example you can walk for 100m on the flat before experiencing the pain. Some people will describe the pain occuring after only a few metres and some will be able to walk continuously with no symptoms on the flat but quickly have pain as soon as there is an incline. As soon as you rest the symptoms will subside and you will be able to continue on for the same distance/time before the symptoms recur. In the most severe cases you may experience pain in the leg/foot at rest or already have tissue loss (black toes/gangrene). The level of pain/discomfort is usually an indicator as to where the problem may be. If your symptoms occur in the thigh and buttocks then it is essential that we check the arteries in the abdomen. | The aorto-iliac artery ultrasound scan will involve checking the abdominal arteries including, aorta, renal, common iliac, proximal internal iliac and external iliac arteries. We use b-mode, colour and pulsed wave doppler to check the for narrowing or blockage in the arteries. We will also check to see if there is any aneurysmal dilation (size/diameter) of the arteries The severity of the narrowing will allow the doctor to decide of this is contributing towards your symptoms. | When you book this scan you will be asked to fast (not eat or drink) for 4 hours prior to your appointment time. Please take all of your medication as normal. If you are diabetic or have medication that needs to be taken with food then please eat as you normally would.Arrive 5 minutes before your appointment time to allow any paperwork to be completed. Please use the toilet in this time prior to your scan. Once you have been called into the ultrasound room you may need to remove some clothing. The sonographer will ask you to lift all your clothing off your abdomen up to the level of your ribs. You will also need to lower your trousers/underwear slightly onto your hips. Once you are ready the sonographer will instruct you to lie on your back on the couch. The gel will be cold and the ultrasound probe will be pressed firmly on your tummy area. Normally your sonographer will ask you to keep your arms to your sides and to try and relax your tummy and not "push back" at the ultrasound probe. The scan can be a bit uncomfortable although this depends on how much gas you have in your abdomen at the time of the scan. Typically a scan of the aorta and iliac arteries will take between 15-30 minutes. | The sonographer will check through the images and produce a worksheet with the relevant information which is then rechecked by the vascular surgeon. If you are seeing one of our specialists on the same day as the scan then they will be able to give the result immediately. Otherwise your report will be sent back to the referrer within a day or two. You can contact the referer to arrange a time to discuss the results. If the sonographer identifies any urgent problems then they will discuss it with our vascular specialists and your referrer immediately and let you know if you need to do anything further. |
| What is ultrasound? | Why am I having this test? | What are we looking for? | What will I need to do for the test? | How will I get my results? |
| Ultrasound is a non-invasive method of imaging inside the body. There is no radiation, magnets or radio waves and as a result it is very safe. Patients with for example pacemakers or other metal objects in their body do not need to worry when having an ultrasound. The sonographer will use the ultrasound probe on the surface of your skin to see exactly what is happening within the blood vessels in your body. The gel that the sonographer applies to the skin is non-toxic. This gel allows the sonographer to move the probe freely across the skin and also helps to improve the image quality. | Varicose veins that arise in the groin/upper thigh can be an indication of a problem with the veins in the abdomen. Pelvic congestion syndrome can also be as a result of poorly functioning veins in the abdomen and pelvic region. | The abdominal venous ultrasound scan will involve checking the renal vein, inferior vena cava, common/internal and external iliac veins as well as the gonadal (ovarian) veins. We will use b-mode, colour and pulsed wave doppler to check the veins for signs of incompetence/reflux (blood flow in the wrong direction). We also check to see if there are any signs of possible compression syndromes such as May-Thurner or renal nutcracker. | This is an external scan only. When you book this scan you will be asked to fast (not eat or drink) for 4 hours prior to your appointment time. Take all of your medication as normal. If you are a diabetic or need medication that needs to be atken with food then please eat normally. Arrive 5 minutes before your appointment time to allow any paperwork to be completed. Please use the toilet in this time prior to your scan. Once you have been called into the ultrasound room you may need to remove some clothing. The sonographer will ask you to lift all your clothing off your abdomen up to the level of your ribs. You will also need to lower your trousers/underwear slightly onto your hips. Once you are ready the sonographer will instruct you to lie on your back on the couch. The gel will be cold and the ultrasound probe will be pressed firmly on your tummy area. Normally your sonographer will ask you to keep your arms to your sides and to try and relax your tummy and not "push back" at the ultrasound probe. The scan can be a bit uncomfortable although this depends on how much gas you have in your abdomen at the time of the scan. Typically a scan of the abdominal veins will take between 15-30 minutes. | The sonographer will check through the images and produce a worksheet with the relevant information which is then rechecked by the vascular surgeon. If you are seeing one of our specialists on the same day as the scan then they will be able to give the result immediately. Otherwise your report will be sent back to the referrer within a day or two. You can contact the referer to arrange a time to discuss the results. If the sonographer identifies any urgent problems then they will discuss it with our vascular specialists and your referrer immediately and let you know if you need to do anything further. |
| What is ultrasound? | Why am I having this test? | What are we looking for? | What will I need to do for the test? | How will I get my results? |
| Ultrasound is a non-invasive method of imaging inside the body. There is no radiation, magnets or radio waves and as a result it is very safe. Patients with for example pacemakers or other metal objects in their body do not need to worry when having an ultrasound. The sonographer will use the ultrasound probe on the surface of your skin to see exactly what is happening within the blood vessels in your body. The gel that the sonographer applies to the skin is non-toxic. This gel allows the sonographer to move the probe freely across the skin and also helps to improve the image quality. | If you have been experiencing pain after eating, nausea and vomiting then your doctor may ask for you to have an ultrasound scan to check for median arcuate ligament syndrome (MALS) This is where a ligament in your abdomen can compress the nerves and blood vessels assocaited with your stomach, liver and other abdominal organs. Typically the symptoms are worse when breathing out. | The visceral artery ultrasound scan will involve checking the abdominal aorta, the renal arteries, the coeliac trunk and its branches, the superior and inferior mesenteric arteries. The coeliac trunk will then be assessed with inspiration (deep breath in) and maximal expiration (breath all the way out and hold). This will allow the sonographer to see the severity of any compression in the coeliac trunk. | When you book this scan you will be asked to fast (not eat or drink) for 4 hours prior to your appointment time. Take all of your medication as normal. For medication that needs to be taken with food please also do this as normal. If you are diabetic and need to eat please do so as normal. Arrive 5 minutes before your appointment time to allow any paperwork to be completed. Please use the toilet in this time prior to your scan. Once you have been called into the ultrasound room you may need to remove some clothing. The sonographer will ask you to lift all your clothing off your abdomen up to the level of your ribs. You will also need to lower your trousers/underwear slightly onto your hips. Once you are ready the sonographer will instruct you to lie on your back on the couch. The gel will be cold and the ultrasound probe will be pressed firmly on your tummy area. Normally your sonographer will ask you to keep your arms to your sides and to try and relax your tummy and not "push back" at the ultrasound probe. The scan can be a bit uncomfortable although this depends on how much gas you have in your abdomen at the time of the scan. Typically a scan of the visceral arteries will take between 15-30 minutes. | The sonographer will check through the images and produce a worksheet with the relevant information which is then rechecked by the vascular surgeon. If you are seeing one of our specialists on the same day as the scan then they will be able to give the result immediately. Otherwise your report will be sent back to the referrer within a day or two. You can contact the referer to arrange a time to discuss the results. If the sonographer identifies any urgent problems then they will discuss it with our vascular specialists and your referrer immediately and let you know if you need to do anything further. |
| What is ultrasound? | Why am I having this test? | What are we looking for? | What will I need to do for the test? | How will I get my results? |
| Ultrasound is a non-invasive method of imaging inside the body. There is no radiation, magnets or radio waves and as a result it is very safe. Patients with for example pacemakers or other metal objects in their body do not need to worry when having an ultrasound. The sonographer will use the ultrasound probe on the surface of your skin to see exactly what is happening within the blood vessels in your body. The gel that the sonographer applies to the skin is non-toxic. This gel allows the sonographer to move the probe freely across the skin and also helps to improve the image quality. | There are a variety of reasons your doctor may ask you to have a renal artery ultrasound scan. Undiagnosed and difficult to control high blood pressure may be as a result of narrowing in the arteries that supply the kidney. Also if your doctor has performed and blood test and has identified a reduction in your kidney function they may wish to rule out any significant problem with the blood supply. | The renal artery ultrasound scan will involve checking the abdominal aorta, the renal arteries, the size of the kidney, the intrarenal artery flow and the general perfusion of the kidney. | When you book this scan you will be asked to fast (not eat or drink) for 4 hours prior to your appointment time. Please take all of your medication as normal. If you are diabetic or take medication that needs to be taken with food then please eat as you would normally. Arrive 5 minutes before your appointment time to allow any paperwork to be completed. Please use the toilet in this time prior to your scan. Once you have been called into the ultrasound room you may need to remove some clothing. The sonographer will ask you to lift all your clothing off your abdomen up to the level of your ribs. You will also need to lower your trousers/underwear slightly onto your hips. Once you are ready the sonographer will instruct you to lie on your back on the couch. The gel will be cold and the ultrasound probe will be pressed firmly on your tummy area. Normally your sonographer will ask you to keep your arms to your sides and to try and relax your tummy and not "push back" at the ultrasound probe. The scan can be a bit uncomfortable although this depends on how much gas you have in your abdomen at the time of the scan. During the scan the sonographer will ask you to roll onto each side so that the kidneys can be seen more easily. The sonographer will also ask you to "stop breathing". This means to try and pause in the breath for as long as possible, don't breath in or exhale but remain perfectly still. The sonographer will be trying to image the tiny arteries within the kidney . Typically a scan of the renal arteries and kidneys will take 30-45 minutes. | The sonographer will check through the images and produce a worksheet with the relevant information which is then rechecked by the vascular surgeon. If you are seeing one of our specialists on the same day as the scan then they will be able to give the result immediately. Otherwise your report will be sent back to the referrer within a day or two. You can contact the referer to arrange a time to discuss the results. If the sonographer identifies any urgent problems then they will discuss it with our vascular specialists and your referrer immediately and let you know if you need to do anything further. |
| What is ultrasound? | Why am I having this test? | What are we looking for? | What will I need to do for the test? | How will I get my results? |
| Ultrasound is a non-invasive method of imaging inside the body. There is no radiation, magnets or radio waves and as a result it is very safe. Patients with for example pacemakers or other metal objects in their body do not need to worry when having an ultrasound. The sonographer will use the ultrasound probe on the surface of your skin to see exactly what is happening within the blood vessels in your body. The gel that the sonographer applies to the skin is non-toxic. This gel allows the sonographer to move the probe freely across the skin and also helps to improve the image quality. | A kidney transplant may need to be assessed in order to check the blood flow remains unobstructed. Your surgeon or renal doctor will tell you if you need to have your transplant checked | The renal transplant ultrasound scan will involve checking the inflow artery, renal transplant artery, intrarenal arteries, the kidney size, general perfusion of the kidney, renal vein and the outflow vein. | Arrive 5 minutes before your appointment time to allow any paperwork to be completed. Please use the toilet in this time prior to your scan. Once you have been called into the ultrasound room you may need to remove some clothing. The sonographer will ask you to lift all your clothing off your abdomen up to the level of your ribs. You will also need to lower your trousers/underwear slightly onto your hips. Once you are ready the sonographer will instruct you to lie on your back on the couch. The gel will be cold and the ultrasound probe will be pressed firmly on your tummy area. Normally your sonographer will ask you to keep your arms to your sides and to try and relax your tummy and not "push back" at the ultrasound probe. The scan can be a bit uncomfortable although this depends on how much gas you have in your abdomen at the time of the scan. During the scan the sonographer will ask you to roll onto one side so that the kidney can be seen more easily. The sonographer will also ask you to "stop breathing". This means to try and pause in the breath for as long as possible, don't breath in or exhale but remain perfectly still. The sonographer will be trying to image the tiny arteries within the kidney . Typically a scan of the renal arteries and kidneys will take 15-30 minutes. | The sonographer will check through the images and produce a worksheet with the relevant information which is then rechecked by the vascular surgeon. If you are seeing one of our specialists on the same day as the scan then they will be able to give the result immediately. Otherwise your report will be sent back to the referrer within a day or two. You can contact the referer to arrange a time to discuss the results. If the sonographer identifies any urgent problems then they will discuss it with our vascular specialists and your referrer immediately and let you know if you need to do anything further. |
| What is ultrasound? | Why am I having this test? | What are we looking for? | What will I need to do for the test? | How will I get my results? |
| Ultrasound is a non-invasive method of imaging inside the body. There is no radiation, magnets or radio waves and as a result it is very safe. Patients with for example pacemakers or other metal objects in their body do not need to worry when having an ultrasound. The sonographer will use the ultrasound probe on the surface of your skin to see exactly what is happening within the blood vessels in your body. The gel that the sonographer applies to the skin is non-toxic. This gel allows the sonographer to move the probe freely across the skin and also helps to improve the image quality. | During the workup for kidney transplant the vascular surgeon will need to discuss your suitability. In order for the surgeon to do this we will need to perform and ultrasound scan of the blood vessels in the abdomen and also check the carotid arteries in the neck. | The pre-transplant ultrasound scan will involve checking the carotid arteries, the abdominal aorta and the iliac arteries on the left and the right. We will aso check the inferior vena cava and the iliac veins on the left and the right side. | When you book this scan you will be asked to fast (not eat or drink) for 4 hours prior to your appointment time. Take all of your medication as normal.If you are a diabetic or have medication that needs to be taken with food then please eat as you would normally. Arrive 5 minutes before your appointment time to allow any paperwork to be completed. Please use the toilet in this time prior to your scan. Once you have been called into the ultrasound room you may need to remove some clothing. To perform the carotid scan you will just need to make sure your neck is clear of any clothing, large jewllery etc. Usually just removing your jacket/sweater will allow the sonographer enough room to access your neck. Once you are ready the sonographer will tuck paper towel around your collar and then begin the scan. The gel will be cold and the ultrasound probe will be pressed gently on your neck. The scan usually takes 10-30 minutes. Then sonographer will ask you to lift all your clothing off your abdomen up to the level of your ribs. You will also need to lower your trousers/underwear slightly onto your hips. Once you are ready the sonographer will instruct you to lie on your back on the couch. The gel will be cold and the ultrasound probe will be pressed firmly on your tummy area. Normally your sonographer will ask you to keep your arms to your sides and to try and relax your tummy and not "push back" at the ultrasound probe. The scan can be a bit uncomfortable although this depends on how much gas you have in your abdomen at the time of the scan. Typically a scan of the abdominal arteries and veins will take 20-30 minutes. The total time in the room will usually be 30-40 minutes. | The sonographer will check through the images and produce a worksheet with the relevant information which is then rechecked by the vascular surgeon. If you are seeing one of our specialists on the same day as the scan then they will be able to give the result immediately. Otherwise your report will be sent back to the referrer within a day or two. You can contact the referer to arrange a time to discuss the results. If the sonographer identifies any urgent problems then they will discuss it with our vascular specialists and your referrer immediately and let you know if you need to do anything further. |
| What is ultrasound? | Why am I having this test? | What are we looking for? | What will I need to do for the test? | How will I get my results? |
| Ultrasound is a non-invasive method of imaging inside the body. There is no radiation, magnets or radio waves and as a result it is very safe. Patients with for example pacemakers or other metal objects in their body do not need to worry when having an ultrasound. The sonographer will use the ultrasound probe on the surface of your skin to see exactly what is happening within the blood vessels in your body. The gel that the sonographer applies to the skin is non-toxic. This gel allows the sonographer to move the probe freely across the skin and also helps to improve the image quality. | If you are experiencing problems with walking or exercise your doctor may consider checking the blood flow in the arteries that supply the legs. Claudication is a condition where you will experience pain or cramping within the muscles of the legs when walking. This symptom will be fairly consistent and occur repeatedly when you doing the same activity, for example you can walk for 100m on the flat before experiencing the pain. Some people will describe the pain occuring after only a few metres and some will be able to walk continuously with no symptoms on the flat but quickly have pain as soon as there is an incline. As soon as you rest the symptoms will subside and you will be able to continue on for the same distance/time before the symptoms recur. In the most severe cases you may experience pain in the leg/foot at rest or already have tissue loss (black toes/gangrene). The level of pain/discomfort is usually an indicator as to where the problem may be. If your symptoms occur in the calf and foot then it is essential that we check the arteries in leg. | The lower limb arterial ultrasound scan will involve checking the common femoral, profunda femoris, superficial femoral , popliteal , tibioperoneal trunk, posterior tibial, peroneal and anterior tibial arteries. We will use b-mode, colour and pulse wave doppler to check the arteries throughtou the lower limb to determine if there is any significant narrowing or blockage as well as checking for any any aneurysmal dilation of the arteries. | Arrive 5 minutes before your appointment time to allow any paperwork to be completed. Please use the toilet in this time prior to your scan. Once you have been called into the ultrasound room you will need to remove your trousers/skirt so that we can access the skin between your groin and ankle. You should leave your underwear on. You will then be asked to lie down on your back on the couch. The gel will be cold and the ultrasound probe will be pressed firmly from the groin to the ankle. The scan usually takes 10-30 minutes per leg. | The sonographer will check through the images and produce a worksheet with the relevant information which is then rechecked by the vascular surgeon. If you are seeing one of our specialists on the same day as the scan then they will be able to give the result immediately. Otherwise your report will be sent back to the referrer within a day or two. You can contact the referer to arrange a time to discuss the results. If the sonographer identifies any urgent problems then they will discuss it with our vascular specialists and your referrer immediately and let you know if you need to do anything further. |
| What is ultrasound? | Why am I having this test? | What are we looking for? | What will I need to do for the test? | How will I get my results? |
| Ultrasound is a non-invasive method of imaging inside the body. There is no radiation, magnets or radio waves and as a result it is very safe. Patients with for example pacemakers or other metal objects in their body do not need to worry when having an ultrasound. The sonographer will use the ultrasound probe on the surface of your skin to see exactly what is happening within the blood vessels in your body. The gel that the sonographer applies to the skin is non-toxic. This gel allows the sonographer to move the probe freely across the skin and also helps to improve the image quality. | Blood clots can be very dangerous. If you experience pain or swelling in the legs then you should see a doctor straight away. This is particularly important if you have recently been on a long aeroplane flight, undergone any surgery, had any injury or experienced a recent period of imobiltity. If you are aware of any family history of blood clotting disorders and have any unusual leg pain or swelling you should seek medical attention. An ultrasound scan to check for deep vein thrombosis should not be put off but should be done as soon as possible. | The lower limb venous ultrasound scan to check for deep vein thrombosis involves checking the common femoral, femoral, popliteal, posterior tibial, peroneal, soleal and medial gastrocneimus muscle veins. We will use b-mode, colour and pulse wave doppler as well as compression to check the veins for the presense of thrombus. | Arrive 5 minutes before your appointment time to allow any paperwork to be completed. Please use the toilet in this time prior to your scan. Once you have been called into the ultrasound room you will need to remove your trousers/skirt so that we can access the skin between your groin and ankle. You should leave your underwear on. You will then be asked to lie down on your back on the couch. The gel will be cold and the ultrasound probe will be pressed firmly from the groin to the ankle. The sonographer will peform compression checks all through the leg to ensure that the vein is open and free of thrombus. The scan usually takes 10-20 minutes per leg. | The sonographer will check through the images and produce a worksheet with the relevant information which is then rechecked by the vascular surgeon. If you are seeing one of our specialists on the same day as the scan then they will be able to give the result immediately. Otherwise your report will be sent back to the referrer within a day or two. You can contact the referer to arrange a time to discuss the results. If the sonographer identifies any urgent problems then they will discuss it with our vascular specialists and your referrer immediately and let you know if you need to do anything further. |
| What is ultrasound? | Why am I having this test? | What are we looking for? | What will I need to do for the test? | How will I get my results? |
| Ultrasound is a non-invasive method of imaging inside the body. There is no radiation, magnets or radio waves and as a result it is very safe. Patients with for example pacemakers or other metal objects in their body do not need to worry when having an ultrasound. The sonographer will use the ultrasound probe on the surface of your skin to see exactly what is happening within the blood vessels in your body. The gel that the sonographer applies to the skin is non-toxic. This gel allows the sonographer to move the probe freely across the skin and also helps to improve the image quality. | Varicose veins can range in severity. Minor varicose veins which are painless all the way to severe venous hypertension resulting in swelling, discolouration and ulceration of the lower legs. If you are concerned or your doctor is concerned about the condition of your legs then you should arrange an ultrasound for lower limb venous insufficiency (varicose veins). | The lower limb venous ultrasound scan to check for venous insufficiency involves the patient standing and then imaging of the common femoral, femoral, popliteal, posterior tibial, peroneal, saphenofemoral junction, long (great) saphenous, anterior thigh, saphenopopliteal junction, short (small) saphenous and thigh/calf perforating veins. We will use b-mode, colour and pulse wave doppler to check the function of the veins during augmention (squeezing) of the calf/thigh. | Arrive 5 minutes before your appointment time to allow any paperwork to be completed. Please use the toilet in this time prior to your scan. Once you have been called into the ultrasound room you will need to remove your trousers/skirt so that we can access the skin between your groin and ankle. You should leave your underwear on. You will then be asked to stand on a step facing the sonographer using the couch to rest against. The gel will be cold and the ultrasound probe will be pressed gently from the groin to the ankle. The sonographer will peform augmentation of the calf/thigh throughou the scan, this means they will squeeze the leg to move the blood up the vein. The scan usually takes 15-30 minutes per leg. | The sonographer will check through the images and produce a worksheet with the relevant information which is then rechecked by the vascular surgeon. If you are seeing one of our specialists on the same day as the scan then they will be able to give the result immediately. Otherwise your report will be sent back to the referrer within a day or two. You can contact the referer to arrange a time to discuss the results. If the sonographer identifies any urgent problems then they will discuss it with our vascular specialists and your referrer immediately and let you know if you need to do anything further. |
| What is ultrasound? | Why am I having this test? | What are we looking for? | What will I need to do for the test? | How will I get my results? |
| Ultrasound is a non-invasive method of imaging inside the body. There is no radiation, magnets or radio waves and as a result it is very safe. Patients with for example pacemakers or other metal objects in their body do not need to worry when having an ultrasound. The sonographer will use the ultrasound probe on the surface of your skin to see exactly what is happening within the blood vessels in your body. The gel that the sonographer applies to the skin is non-toxic. This gel allows the sonographer to move the probe freely across the skin and also helps to improve the image quality. | Popliteal entrapment is a condition which typically affects young athletes. The symptoms generally result in calf pain (claudication) during significant exercise. Typically it is caused by the artery behind the knee lying in an abnormal position, the muscle in the upper calf/knee region attaching to the knee in an abnormal position or a combination of the two. | The popliteal artery entrapment ultrasound scan involves a complete arterial scan with the patient lying down from the groin to the ankle to confirm normal arterial flow. Next the patient will be standing so that the popliteal artery and vein can be assessed using b-mode, colour and pulse wave doppler firstly in a normal standing position and then with maximal heel raise. This heel raise (plantar flexion of the foot) is often repeated multiple times in order to fully investigate the entire popliteal artery region. The popliteal vein is also assessed in the same way during heel raises. | Arrive 5 minutes before your appointment time to allow any paperwork to be completed. Please use the toilet in this time prior to your scan. Once you have been called into the ultrasound room you will need to remove your trousers/skirt so that we can access the skin between your groin and ankle. You should leave your underwear on. You will first of all need to lie down on your back so tha t the leg arteries can be checked to confirm normal anatomy. The gel will be cold and the ultrasound probe will be pressed gently from the groin to the ankle. Next you will then be asked to stand on a step facing away from the sonographer using the couch to lean against. The sonographer will ask you to peform heel raises. This requires you to raise you heel as high as possible and try to remain still. You will need to peform this task multiple times throughout the scan.The scan usually takes 20-30 minutes per leg. | The sonographer will check through the images and produce a worksheet with the relevant information which is then rechecked by the vascular surgeon. If you are seeing one of our specialists on the same day as the scan then they will be able to give the result immediately. Otherwise your report will be sent back to the referrer within a day or two. You can contact the referer to arrange a time to discuss the results. If the sonographer identifies any urgent problems then they will discuss it with our vascular specialists and your referrer immediately and let you know if you need to do anything further. |
© 2024 Northern Sydney Vascular.
