Ultrasound imaging uses sound waves to produce pictures of the inside of the body. It is used to help diagnose the causes of pain, swelling and infection in the body’s internal organs and to examine a baby in pregnant women and the brain and hips in infants. It’s also used to help guide biopsies, diagnose heart conditions, and assess damage after a heart attack. Ultrasound is safe, noninvasive, and does not use ionizing radiation.
A Doppler vascular ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves to obtain a medical image or picture of blood flow through various vessels in the body. Vascular ultrasound produces precise images and measurements of many blood vessels in the body. It is commonly used to image the carotid artery in the neck, or arteries and veins in legs and arms. It can detect diseased vessels and identify a wide variety of changing conditions, enabling your doctor to make a quick and accurate diagnosis.