Doppler Ultrasound
Reviewed
Also called: Doppler ultrasonography, vascular ultrasound
A Doppler ultrasound is a type of ultrasound imaging test that uses sound waves to show how well your blood flows through your blood vessels.
Specimen: none
Why this test may be ordered
- You may need a Doppler ultrasound if you have symptoms of abnormal blood flow, such as pain, swelling, numbness, or changes in skin color in an arm or leg.
- You may need this test if you have a high risk of stroke, have had a stroke or transient ischemic attack, or have had an injury to your blood vessels.
- You may need this test if you have high blood pressure that could be caused by blocked arteries in your kidneys.
- You may need this test if you are being treated for a condition that affects blood flow, to see how much the treatment is helping.
- If you are pregnant, you may need this test if your unborn baby may be smaller than normal or if you have certain health problems such as preeclampsia or sickle cell disease.
Preparation and collection
Preparations for a Doppler ultrasound depend on what part of your body is being checked. Your health care provider will tell you if you need to prepare and what to do. Nicotine causes blood vessels to narrow, which could change your results.
A Doppler ultrasound is often done by a sonographer, a health care professional who has special training to do ultrasound exams. The sonographer will spread a special gel on your skin over the area that will be examined. The sonographer will move a wand-like device, called a transducer, across your skin.
Doppler ultrasound has not been linked to any health harms. It's generally considered safe when trained sonographers use it correctly. Doppler ultrasound doesn't use ionizing radiation like x-rays use, which makes it safer than x-ray.
Understanding results
Doppler ultrasound can check for blood vessel conditions that affect the amount, speed, and direction of blood flow in different parts of your body. It can help find narrowed arteries, blood clots, and other conditions.
- Normal: If your Doppler ultrasound results are normal, it means that the blood vessels that were checked looked healthy. They have no narrowing or blood clots. The blood flow was normal. Limitation: Nicotine causes blood vessels to narrow, which could change your results. Next step: Talk with your provider about what your results say about your health and need for treatment.
- Not normal: It can help find narrowed arteries, blood clots, and other conditions. Limitation: If your results aren't normal, the meaning will depend on what area of your body was tested and the type of Doppler ultrasound that you had. Next step: Talk with your provider about what your results say about your health and need for treatment.
- Doppler ultrasound has not been linked to any health harms. It is generally considered safe when trained sonographers use it correctly. However, in certain cases, ultrasound can affect fluids and tissues in the body, so most medical experts recommend using it only when needed to provide important medical information.
- The accuracy of the test depends on the skill of the sonographer, the type of Doppler used, and the area of the body being examined. Results may vary based on these factors.
What to do next
Talk with your provider about what your results say about your health and need for treatment.
- Your healthcare provider will tell you if you need to prepare and what to do.
- You may need to fast (not eat or drink) for several hours before the test.
- You may need to stop smoking or using products that have nicotine for two hours or more before your test, because nicotine can narrow blood vessels and change your results.
Evidence source
Source: U.S. National Library of Medicine (MedlinePlus). Practices and reference ranges may differ in your country.