Guest blog post by Gary Gwertzman, MD, FACS, RPVI

No, it won’t!

The term “vascular laboratory” is unfortunate, because the word “laboratory” can conjure up some unpleasant thoughts. Patients who are sent to a vascular laboratory have little to worry about, and can learn a lot about their vascular (circulatory) health without exposure to harmful radiation or needles.

When a patient is sent for a vascular test, a few basic questions are probably being asked. One might be, “What do the blood vessels look like?” Another might be, “How much blood is flowing?” Fortunately, these and other questions can be answered using simple techniques.

Ultrasound

Many patients will be familiar with the ultrasound machines that are used by obstetricians to examine an expectant mother’s baby before it is born. Those same machines can be used to look at blood vessels and examine blood flow. Many physicians refer to these studies as “dopplers.”

Ultrasounds do not hurt, and are very safe. After a patient comes into the vascular lab and lies down, a technician will place a warm, flat probe over the area in question. This probe gives off sound waves (which we cannot hear) that the ultrasound machine uses to form a precise image on a computer screen. From this picture, we can measure the size of a blood vessel, see what it looks like and determine how fast the blood is flowing through it. Areas that are commonly studied include the neck, belly and legs.

Blood Pressure Cuffs

Another common test uses blood pressure cuffs. . .on the legs! Just as blood pressure is measured in the arms, vascular labs often measure pressure in the legs. This information is very easy to obtain, and helps guide the decisions that vascular specialists make.

Few patients enjoy being asked to undergo medical testing. But, if you end up in a “vascular laboratory,” relax! Your physician is learning about your health in a safe and painless manner.

If you have concerns about your vascular health, please call our Physician Referral Service at 866.804.1007 to find an excellent doctor who is right for you.