One of the least risky diagnostic procedures for arterial problems and venous disorders is sonography or vascular ultrasound. Even though it is less definitive, sonography remains to be the primary diagnostic procedure conducted by thousands of physicians’ worldwide because it is safer compared to other methods.
Why choose our vascular surgeon for Sonography, vascular ultrasound?
Our doctor is one of the few vascular surgeons in Singapore who is specially trained in performing vascular ultrasound for his patients. With an onsite vascular ultrasound, he is able to give a one-stop service for his patients who are able to get a diagnosis to their problem instantly and quickly get their problems treated. In addition, our doctor will also able to prescribe an individualised treatment after personally diagnosing the patient’s unique conditions.
Sonography: What is it and how is it done
Sonography can be conducted in a shorter time and can be done without special preparations. If your physician asked you to undergo the procedure, you must know some basics about sonography to know why the procedure needs to be done. Sonography is a visualization diagnostic procedure which involves the use of high frequency sound waves. Unlike x-ray procedures of the vascular system, sonography is less risky since it does not involve the use of radio-opaque dye. It is a non-invasive, needleless, painless procedure used to visualize blood flow in arteries and veins to determine presence of obstructions and problems.
There is no need for you to do preparatory procedures before sonography. You can simply bring yourself to our clinic where the procedure will be conducted. The suspected area of obstruction will be exposed. Your doctor will apply gel on the area for easier sound conduction through the transducer. The transducer will be moved all over the designated body area as images of the blood flow are recorded through the computer. When your doctor has taken adequate details of the blood flow, the procedure is complete.
Why undergo sonography and what are the benefits
The reason why you need to undergo sonography is to determine if the flow of blood in your arteries and veins is normal. It can help diagnose spider veins, peripheral artery occlusive disorder, aneurysm, and deep vein thrombosis among others. It can also determine the extent of blockage in cases of atherosclerosis.
Patients with chronic venous insufficiency may also undergo the procedure for diagnostic purposes. Most physicians recommend ultrasonography before doing any invasive diagnostic procedure. This is because it is not associated with side effects and complications. You are almost 100% safe when undergoing sonography.
Another benefit of sonography is that it is less expensive compared to other methods. It does not require you to stay in the hospital for a few days as it does not provide bleeding or any complication.
Post treatment care
When the procedure is done, the gel applied at the site of visualization will be wiped clean. You can go home after the procedure or you can wait for the results. The next step after sonography will depend on the results of the test. If the test indicates normal findings, it means that the blood flows normally through your veins and arteries. If the test indicates abnormal results, it means that an occlusion may be present and your doctor will treat your vein problems according to your body and situation.
