What Vascular Ultrasound Exam Should I Order?
Clinical Indications
- Stroke or TIA
- Hemiparesis/hemiplegia
- Numbness/tingling of skin
- Facial weakness/droop
- Aphasia, dysphasia or speech/language deficits
- Amaurosis fugax or other visual disturbances
- Dizziness, imbalance, loss of consciousness
- Confusion
- Carotid or supraclavicular bruit
- Swelling, mass or lump in head or neck
- History of TIA/stroke
- Follow-up of known cerebrovascular disease
- Follow-up of cerebrovascular surgery/intervention
Clinical Indications
- Limb pain, swelling or tenderness
- Limb cyanosis and/or erythema
- Symptoms of pulmonary embolism (PE)
- Abnormal lung scan
- Respiratory abnormality (shortness of breath)
- Acute respiratory failure
- Chest pain
- Hemoptysis
- Induration/thickening of skin
- Symptomatic varicose veins
- Cellulitis
- Venous ulceration
- Localized superficial swelling, mass, lump, nodule
- Follow-up of known DVT or superficial thrombosis
- Post vein ablation exam
Clinical Indications
- Claudication
- Rest pain (persistent severe resting foot pain)
- Gangrene
- Arterial ulceration
- Non-healing surgical wound
- Cyanosis in limb
- Disturbance of skin sensation (e.g. numbness/tingling/burning)
- Bruit or weak pulse in limb
- Follow-up of known peripheral arterial disease (PAD)
- Follow-up of PAD surgery/intervention
Clinical Indications
- Abdominal or pelvic swelling, mass or lump
- Pain in abdomen or lower back
- Abdominal bruit
- Follow-up of known AAA
- Follow-up of AAA surgery/intervention
Medicare AAA Screening
- Age 65-75 male or female with AAA family history
- Age 65-75 male who has smoked ≥100 cigarettes
- One time Medicare screening benefit
Clinical Indications
- Hypertension (new onset or uncontrollable)
- Epigastric or flank bruit in hypertensive patient
- Increased creatinine or BUN
- Follow-up of known renal artery stenosis
- Follow-up renal surgery/intervention/transplant
Clinical Indications
- Abdominal pain associated with eating
- Unexplained weight loss
- Fear of food
- Persistent diarrhea
- Abdominal bruit
Clinical Indications
- Pre-operative exam for AV fistula or graft
- AV fistula/graft surveillance
- Change in the bruit or palpable thrill of the graft
- Prolonged dialysis times
- Elevated venous pressure found during dialysis
- Difficult needle placement for dialysis
- Underdeveloped fistula
- Abnormal lab values
- Perigraft mass
- Arm swelling, and digital pain, numbness or tingling
Clinical Indications
- Suspected portal hypertension with esophageal/bleeding varices
- Abdominal pain
- Abdominal distention
- Ascites
- Hepatic encephalopathy
- Venous hum
- Cruveilhier-Baumgarten Syndrome
- Budd-Chiari Syndrome with sudden abdominal epigastric pain with nausea and vomiting
- Hepatomegaly
- Splenomegaly
- Abdominal collateral vein distention
- Follow-up post porto-systemic shunting (including TIPS – transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunting)
