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