03.31.23
The Role of a Vascular Ultrasound in Rogers in your Arterial Care
One of the key services we offer to patients looking for arterial care with us in Rogers is vascular imaging. These tests help us identify arterial health concerns and develop a treatment plan depending on what we find. But, many patients have some anxiety about testing.
Maybe you’re worried about the results. Maybe you’re unsure whether arterial care is right for you. Or, maybe you just don’t like the idea of being poked and prodded.
The Ozark Regional Vein & Artery Center team thought a quick guide to prepping for a vascular ultrasound in Rogers could be a help to patients. Whether you’re neighbors coming to see us from Fayetteville and Bentonville or long-distance travelers from Springfield, MO, and Houston, Texas, we’re here to help!
So, let’s talk vascular ultrasound & imaging. This blog will cover how to prepare for vascular screening, how the technology works, and a vascular ultrasound’s role in arterial healthcare. That way, you can go into your vascular ultrasound in Rogers comfortably and confidently.
How should I prepare for vascular testing?
Fast before your screening.
To prepare for an arterial screening, don’t eat for 6-8 hours before your arterial screening. This is to help us get the clearest sense of the actual state of your circulatory system. Eating a big meal before your visit will reduce our ability to gauge the health of your blood vessels.
Besides restricting your eating and drinking, there is no other special preparation for a venous ultrasound!
Dress comfortably.
That being said, we recommend wearing comfortable, loose-fitting clothing and leaving your jewelry at home. Since you may need to remove clothing or jewelry in the screened area, this policy helps to save you time. And who wouldn’t want to be as comfortable as possible during an ultrasound?
Take a deep breath!
Lots of patients come to their vascular test in Rogers anxious and afraid of their results. That’s entirely understandable. Vascular healthcare can be very frightening, especially if you’re unsure what you’re dealing with. But make sure to take a deep breath. You’re not in this alone, and there’s no vascular condition that a little hard work can’t improve.
After all, that’s what the Ozark team is here to do: help you heal.
What is vascular ultrasound and how does it work?
We’ve gone over how to prepare for your vascular imaging test and what to look for in an arterial screening provider, but there’s a lot more to know about the technology itself. After all, most people don’t spend their time researching ultrasound technology. And who can blame them?!
As a direct result, new patients tend to have misconceptions and questions about imaging technology. Which is also entirely reasonable. If something’s about to peer around inside our bodies, we want to know how and why!
Ultrasound Test
At its most basic level: sonography (ultrasound imaging) is a noninvasive test that helps diagnose and treat medical conditions. It produces pictures of the inside of the body using sound waves. It uses a small probe called a transducer and gel placed directly on the skin. High-frequency sound waves travel through the gel into the body.
A computer uses those sound waves to create an image. Because ultrasound captures images in real time, it can show the structure and movement of the body’s internal organs and blood flow.
How does vascular ultrasound in Rogers work?
Ultrasound imaging uses the same principles as the sonar that bats, radar, and dolphins use. When a sound wave strikes an object, it bounces off of it. By measuring these echo waves, it is possible to determine how far away the object is and its size, shape, and consistency. This includes whether the object is solid or filled with fluid.
Medical professionals can take advantage of ultrasound technology to detect changes in the appearance of organs, tissues, and blood vessels. This is how ultrasounds can be used to detect blood clots, abnormal growths, or even tumors.
During an ultrasound exam, the transducer sends out sound waves and records the echoing (returning) waves. When your provider presses the transducer against your skin, it sends small pulses of soundless, high-frequency sound waves into the body.
As the sound waves bounce off internal organs, fluids, and tissues, the sensitive receiver in the transducer records tiny changes in the sound’s pitch and direction. A computer instantly measures these sound’s waves and displays them as real-time pictures on a monitor.
It’s practically magic. But it’s not magic. It’s science.
How is the vascular imaging procedure performed?
While many medical facilities that perform vascular imaging ask you to lie down during screening, the Ozark Regional Vein & Artery Center always tries to keep you standing to perform a screening on your legs and lower body.
Laying down means your body isn’t having to work as hard as it normally would because blood isn’t having to pump against gravity.
That gives us a less accurate picture of what your body’s blood vessels are actually dealing with day to day.
The Process
Your Ozark Regional provider will apply a water-based gel to the area being screened. This helps the ultrasound transducer make secure contact with the body. It also helps eliminate air pockets between the transducer and the skin that can block the sound waves from passing into your body.
Your provider will sweep the ultrasound transducer over the areas of concern, repeating the process multiple times to get a complete picture. They may also angle the sound beam from a different location to better see an area of concern.
A vascular ultrasound examination usually takes 20-30 minutes. But be aware that a more complex exam may take more time.
What will I experience during and after the procedure?
Most screening exams are painless, fast, and comfortable. There is usually no discomfort from pressure as they press the transducer against the area under examination.
Some exams may cause discomfort, though, if you’re dealing with bruising or tenderness in your legs. It’s important to remember that pressure of any kind will be uncomfortable, and nothing is wrong with the test. If you’re struggling with physical discomfort during the vascular ultrasound in Rogers, tell your Ozark Regional Vein & Artery Center provider!
Once the imaging is complete, your provider will wipe off the clear imaging gel from your skin. If it’s a point of concern, the gel does not usually stain or discolor clothing, but tossing an article of clothing into the wash should prevent damage to your clothing.
After an ultrasound exam, you should be able to resume your normal activities immediately.
Our Vascular Imaging Services
At Ozark Regional Vein & Artery Center, we prioritize providing lasting vascular healthcare solutions. That means providing world-class vascular treatment and the screening and imaging services necessary to give you peace of mind.
Unlike hospital appointments, our team can get patients in for testing and provide them with results within 48 hours. We offer a complete suite of testing services and run a full vascular lab with a vascular ultrasound in Rogers that can quickly get the answers you need.
Advanced Technology
Our artery center offers angiograms, duplex ultrasound, carotid duplex, and ankle-brachial index or ABI tests. These are the most common and valuable forms of arterial vascular ultrasound in Rogers. That’s why they’re the standard across the entire medical field.
We have several noteworthy devices for imaging, including the OEC Elite C-Arm and Phillips IVUS Ultrasound machine, to name a few.
The OEC Elite C-Arm is a world-renowned surgical X-Ray device that optimizes procedures Dr. Stout performs. The Phillips IVUS ultrasound machine is another gold-standard technology our team uses to analyze the arterial system and aid in placing stents, angioplasties, and more.
Expert Providers
Dr. Stout and Dr. Haney are the leading medical physicians at the Ozark Regional Vein & Artery Center. Dr. Stout is the resident vascular surgeon at our facility, and Dr. Haney is our founder and medical director. They have over 50 years of combined experience providing quality vein & artery care to patients across the country.
So, not only is there no one more qualified to perform your blood circulation test in Rogers, there are no medical providers better equipped to care for your vascular health.
Turn to the Ozark Regional Vein & Artery Center for Your Arterial Screening.
For arterial care and early imaging/vascular ultrasound in Rogers, come to the Ozark Regional Vein & Artery Center. Our experience and growing suite of care options allow us to guide you toward lasting wellness solutions for a happier, healthier life.
We are a premier practice in Northwest Arkansas for all the highest-quality vascular treatments available. Dr. Haney, Dr. Stout, and the expert staff have over 75 years of combined experience in the industry. Patients come to us from across the country—from Fayetteville & Bentonville to Houston, Texas, & Springfield, Missouri—to ensure they receive the best concierge-level care.
After all, helping people is what we do. And it is our mission to provide the people of Arkansas and beyond with the absolute best care possible.
Take the first step on the road to recovery with our Virtual Vascular Screening Tool, or schedule a consultation. We also hold regular free screening events.
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