Vascular ultrasound uses sound waves to evaluate the body's circulatory system and help identify blockages in the arteries and veins and detect blood clots. A Doppler ultrasound study – a technique that evaluates blood flow through a blood vessel – is usually part of this exam. Ultrasound is a non-invasive exam that does not use ionizing radiation, has no known harmful effects, and provides images of soft tissues that don't show up on X-ray images.
Please arrive 15 minutes before your appointment time. Please do not eat or drink after midnight the night before your abdominal vascular ultrasound.
Bring the following information with you:
- A signed prescription for an imaging study (unless your doctor’s office has either faxed an order or indicated they entered the order directly into Inova’s electronic medical records system)
- Insurance card
- Photo ID (e.g., license, passport)
- Any previous exam films and reports performed at a non-Inova facility, including X-rays, mammograms, MRIs, CT scans and ultrasounds
- Implant card, if applicable