Information for Patients

Doppler Ultrasound

• A doppler ultrasound examination helps to assess the blood flow in your blood vessels. The investigations is normally carried out as an out-patient appointment.

There is usually no preparation needed.

Diagnostic ultrasound is a safe procedure that uses low-power sound waves.  There are no direct risks from a diagnostic ultrasound exam.

Although ultrasound is a valuable tool, it does have it's limitations.  Sound doesn't travel well through air or bone, for example, so ultrasound is not effective at imaging parts of your body that have gas in them or that are obscured by bone.  Rather than using ultrasound to view these areas, your doctor might order other imaging exams such as a CT, an MRI or an X-ray to view different things.

When you arrive you will be taken to a cubicle and asked to change into a gown. The sonographer or the radiologist will ask you to lie on a table.  The radiographer will explain the procedure and then put a small amount of gel on the pulse points at the hips, knees and feet, so that the sound waves can be transmitted through the body and reach the scanning instrument that is placed on your skin.  They will then use an ultrasound probe (rather like a pen) to assess the blood flow. You will be asked to move into different positions to help achieve the necessary measurements. You will be able to see the scanned images on the screen while you are having the exam performed. 

You will not feel any pain during the scan.  If you find it difficult or uncomfortable, please tell the sonographer or radiologist.  The ultrasound gel will be removed with paper tissues. If your skin still feels sticky any remaining gel can be washed off with soap and water, but it also dries quickly on its own. If the sonographer or the radiologist gets gel on your clothes, please do not worry!  The gel does not stain at all, and it just needs to be dry to become invisible again.

After the examination you can dress and leave the department. The results of your examination will not be given to you on the same day. To receive these results you will need an appointment see either the consultant who referred you, or your own GP. You will be told after the examination which of these doctors you need to see.