Why am I having this test?
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.
What are we looking for?
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.
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 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.
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.
