Why am I having this test?
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.
What are we looking for?
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.
What will I need to do for the test?
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.
How will I get my results?
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.
