Vascular ultrasound bounces sound waves off your body’s cardiovascular system to create echoes – moving images in real time. Without radiation, we can get a picture of how your blood vessels are constructed and functioning to help us monitor your blood flow to organs and tissues throughout your body. This will assist us with placing repairs or locating blockages, abnormalities, clots, plaque and emboli.

Getting an adequate look at specific veins and arteries also helps us know if you are a good candidate for procedures such as angioplasty. We can use this information to review the success of grafts or bypasses.  Images may reveal a blood clot, which we can treat in a variety of ways (including blood thinners or filters) to prevent clots from traveling to critical parts of your body such as lungs (embolism), heart (blood flow block or heart attack) or brain (stroke).

What must I do to prepare for the exam?

There are different ultrasound exams; therefore, each test will require it own preparation. Please ask your physician or call the Ultrasound department for instructions for your specific exam.

What can I expect for the exam?

A highly trained technologist (sonographer) will assist you in getting situated and comfortable on the table, explain the procedure, and answer questions you may have. Depending on the area to be examined, you may be asked to remove certain articles of clothing and/or change in to a hospital gown. Before the exam begins, a warm gel will be applied to your skin, eliminating air between the ultrasound transducer and your skin, thus facilitating the sound waves as they transmit into your body. The sonographer will glide the transducer over your skin to capture the appropriate images. To allow for the best views or the area of interest, you may be asked to change positions throughout the exam. Once the images are captured, the gel is cleaned from the skin and the exam is complete.

Will I be exposed to radiation?

No radiation is used during an ultrasound exam. The exam is painless, with no side- or aftereffects.

How long will the exam take?

Depending on the area of the body to be examined, an ultrasound exam generally takes 30 to 60 minutes, although some exams may take longer.

How will I know the results?

Following your exam, a radiologist specializing in ultrasound will analyze and interpret the images from your exam and prepare a full report. This report will be sent directly to your physician, who will share the results with you. To request a copy of the report, you may contact your physician’s office or Medical Arts Hospital’s Medical Records Department at 806-872-2183.

How do I schedule an appointment?

The physician’s office will either contact the Ultrasound department to schedule your appointment or ask you to make the arrangements. If your physician asks you to make the arrangements, please contact us at 806-872-2183 and have your physician’s order available when you call. We will need to know the type of ultrasound and the diagnosis your physician has indicated for the procedure.

What do I need to bring with me the day of the exam?

You will need to bring your physician’s order, some form of personal identification, and any insurance or Medicare information.