Cardiovascular Colour Doppler Ultrasound Clinic

The Service has two vascular colour Doppler ultrasound devices, which offer the utmost diagnostic accuracy. These devices combine ultrasound tomography, the Doppler module and the colour component, providing information in real-time concerning the spectral analysis of the Doppler wave, the speed of blood flow transformed into colour, which is superimposed on the classic black and white ultrasound anatomical image. This enables quick identification of the vessel under examination, readily shows the areas of maximum flow disturbance and improves the precision of quantitative and qualitative assessments.

Colour Doppler ultrasonography has changed the diagnostic approach to vascular diseases and has become the reference non-invasive diagnostic investigation for disorders of the supra-aortic trunks, possibly integrated with angiography in severe cases.

In peripheral arterial disease, the morphological and haemodynamic information provided by colour Doppler ultrasound is such that the role of angiography is now limited to treatment (angioplasty) or prior to surgery.

In venous disorders (deep venous thrombosis, incompetence of the valves of the great and small saphenous veins) the colour Doppler ultrasound has now supplanted phlebography, which has limited indications.

The following examinations are performed in the clinic:

• colour Doppler ultrasound of the supra-aortic trunks;
• colour Doppler ultrasound of the upper limb arteries;
• colour Doppler ultrasound of the upper limb veins;
• colour Doppler ultrasound of the lower limb arteries;
• colour Doppler ultrasound of the lower limb veins.