WHAT IS A LOWER EXTREMITY VENOUS DUPLEX?

 

Lower extremity venous duplex scan is a painless exam that

uses high-frequency sound waves (ultrasound) to capture images

of internal veins that return blood to the heart. During an upper

extremity venous duplex scan, the veins in your

neck, shoulders, arms, and wrists are viewed. During a lower extremity

 venous duplex scan, the veins in the legs and ankles are viewed.

 

A special jelly is placed on the area being examined while a wand-like

device called a transducer is passed lightly over the skin over the vein.

 Internal images of the veins are shown on a screen, recorded as a video

 or printed as a photo.

 

A Doppler ultrasound may also be performed to capture images of the

movement of blood through your veins. This test helps to determine how

 the blood is flowing through your veins.

 

Venous duplex scans can show blood clots in leg veins and evaluate

 for abnormal veins causing varicose veins.

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