UZDG of vessels of the lower extremities: the main purposes and methods of carrying out

UZDG of the vessels of the lower extremities is assigned to detect blood flow pathologies in the vessels of the legs: arteries and veins. The main task of the method is to determine the speed and direction of the blood flow.

UZDG has such advantages over other methods as informativity, security, the ability to repeat several times, availability and relatively low cost. Indications for UZDG are determined after receiving a phlebologist doctor.

The essence of ultrasound dopplerography of the

ultrasound of the veins and arteries of the lower limbs is based onphysical effect of Doppler: this is why the second name of the method of investigation is ultrasonic dopplerography of vessels.

The device fixes the change in the frequency of the signal, digitally processes it and the doctor makes a conclusion about the correspondence of the blood flow velocity at a specific place of this vessel to normal parameters or the presence of any deviations. UZDG is an objective, highly detailed, harmless, painless method of examination of the state of vessels.

What the

technique shows The UZDG examines the abdominal and inferior vena cava, femoral, small and large subcutaneous, deep vein shanks and popliteal veins. The same deep veins accompany the same-named arteries.

UZDG helps:

• to identify asymptomatic initial vascular lesions;
• to detect vascular pathologies: atherosclerotic plaques or other pathologies;
• quantify blood flow( eg, speed);
• reveal segments of arterial narrowing( stenosis) and dimensions;
• to determine varicose veins: its cause, level of severity, whether there is a valve failure;
• reveal a thrombus in the vessels, measure its size and structure, flotation;
• to study the condition of the vessel walls( elasticity, hypertonicity, hypotension);
• diagnose aneurysms.

When determining thrombi in deep veins, you can find out the following properties:

• percentage of narrowing of the venous lumen;
• near-wall or mobile thrombus, which is detected by pressing the sensor;
• soft or thick thrombus;
• is homogeneous or heterogeneous.

Dopplerography is used to diagnose common pathologies - varicose veins, atherosclerosis of the vessels of the legs, thrombophlebitis, deep vein thrombosis and other vascular diseases.

Dopplerography of the lower limbs will help determine the type of treatment at this stage of the disease, and if there are indications for surgical treatment, perform pre-operative marking of the veins.

Advantages of UZDG:

• painless and non-invasive;
• inexpensive cost of the procedure and availability;
• no ionizing radiation;
• is carried out in the online time mode, so you can immediately make a biopsy of the identified lesions;
• image detailing is much higher than on conventional X-ray images.

Unlike UZDG, such highly informative methods as MRI and computed tomography can not estimate the blood flow velocity of .

To whom is assigned

It is necessary to conduct an examination of for complaints about pain in the legs when walking, "numbness", "cooling" of the limbs .The earlier the pathology is diagnosed and the treatment will be prescribed, the better the prognosis for complete recovery.

USG of leg vessels is prescribed if:

• in other arteries of the body already has atherosclerosis;
• in the calf muscles there are pain;
• pains appear with load and walking for short distances from 500 meters to 1 kilometer;
• feet turn blue and cool or blush and swell;
• are visible on the surface of the vessel nodes and varicose veins appear;
• has complaints of heaviness in the legs, swelling, numbness of the legs, convulsions;
• appeared brown or dark purple seals on the legs;
• there were asterisks;
• one of the legs increases in size compared to the second;
• trophic skin changes occur;
• was an artery trauma.

Also, the USDG is assigned to patients with diabetes mellitus and other chronic diseases.

Due to the lack of contraindications to this procedure, it can be performed repeatedly to determine the dynamics of therapy.

Indications for the

study The most common indications for the USDD are complaints about:

• paling of the legs and cold extremities;Goose bumps
• ;
• feet quickly get tired and buzz;
• bruises appear quickly;
• for a long time does not heal abrasions;
• feeling of burning, raspiraniya, fullness in the legs;
• visual swelling of the veins.

With the help of the study it is possible to find out:

• whether deep or superficial veins are passable and what degree of disturbance;
• how well the valves in the venous vessels are, the degree of valvular failure;
• what is the condition of the perforating veins - the so-called.connecting between deep and superficial vasculature;
• as well as the presence and level of mobility of the thrombus.

In the process of investigation may be revealed:

• Obliterating arteriosclerosis of vessels is a disease of large vessels, characteristic for age patients.
• Obliterating endarteritis is a disease of small vessels characterized by constriction and inflammation of the arterial segments.
• Varicose disease - congestion of venous blood and the presence of segments of dilated vessels.
• Deep vein thrombosis is a disease caused by blood clots that interfere with normal blood flow.

Preparation and procedure of the

procedure Take with you, if any, direction from the doctor and, if available, the results of other studies. On the day of the study, you should not drink exciting drinks : alcohol, coffee, energy, tea, do not smoke 2 hours before the test, do not take medication.

It is necessary to remove clothing from the area under examination and lie on your back on the couch next to the UZDG apparatus. The doctor will apply a contact gel to the skin, which improves the transmission of ultrasound waves. The doctor with the sensor produces measurements at the control points , which correspond to the projection of the investigated vessels.

A small subcutaneous and popliteal vein examination is performed by asking the patient to stand up or turn over on the stomach.

The monitor captures images of the surveyed areas. It is possible that after examining the prone, the doctor will conduct a standing study. In some cases, the measurement makes the on the right and left leg of the to compare the blood flow velocity for more in-depth information.

The study is equally informative for both large and small vessels, and for arterial and venous circulation.

The study takes up to one hour, it is absolutely painless and does not bring any discomfort. After the end of the procedure, the patient gets up and erases the gel from himself. After 15 minutes of , the results of the study will be issued and issued on hand.

Principles for decoding results and normal indices

Evaluation of a venous channel does not have numerical values ​​of .Sonologist analyzes the permeability of veins, the state of venous valves, the topography of the segment, where the pathology and degree of disturbance of blood flow are revealed.

Arterial blood flow has several parameters:

1. The ankle-brachial LPI index is the ratio of arterial pressure at the ankle to the arterial pressure measured on the shoulder. LPI should normally be from 0.9 and above. After loading, the parameter increases. The lower the index, the lower the patency of the arteries. If the initial degree of stenosis is 0.9-0.7, then the critical degree is already 0.3.
2. The peak blood flow velocity in the femoral artery is normal at 100 cm / s, in the tibia at the norm is 50 cm / s.
3. The index of resistance in the femoral artery is more than 1 m / s.
4. The pulsating index in the tibial artery exceeds 1.8 m / s. The smaller the 2 last indicators, the narrower the diameter of the vessel.
5. The turbulent type of blood flow means that there is an incomplete narrowing of the vessel.
6. The backbone type is the norm.
7. The trunk modified type means that the stenosis is above the site.
8. Collateral blood flow is recorded below the site with complete absence of blood flow.

Thus, based on the study, the doctor can see how the veins and arteries, the degree of vascular patency, the length of narrow segments are located.

The result of this study is medical conclusion about the uniformity of blood flow , the nature of its change, which is due to constriction, and sometimes even blockage of the lumen, which can occur due to an atherosclerotic plaque or thrombus.

Compensatory possibilities of blood flow, pathology of vessel structure are analyzed:

• existence of crimp, aneurysm;
• severity of spasm;
• the possibility of compression of the artery by a nearby scar tissue or, for example, spasmodic muscles.

This video lecture tells more about the necessary equipment and decoding of indicators( intended for specialists):

Average prices in Russia and abroad

Dopplerography of the vessels of the legs can be divided into UZD only arteries or arteries and veins. In the first case, the cost of the survey will be lower and make an average of 3,500 rubles .In the second case, the cost of the examination will start from 5 500 rubles.

Successful diagnosis of leg vessel disease is possible only through the use of innovative equipment and careful study by experienced specialists. After the research by the phlebologist , the question of the need for further diagnosis of is solved: phlebography, duplex scanning, CT-phlebography, phlebscintiography, etc.