The Cooper Vascular Center

Venous Duplex Scan

The deep venous circulation returns blood from the tissues (the extremity) to the heart. To achieve this goal, veins are designed for low pressure, are enclosed within contracting muscle, and contain valves that prevent backflow. Veins have valves or flaps that prevent backward flow of blood and thin walls capable of expanding when filled. The fact that veins are located within contracting muscle is another significant third factor which assist in returning blood to the heart.

Superficial veins lie above the muscles of the leg. They are the saphenous veins and their branches. Much larger veins, deep veins, lie deep within the muscle compartments and carry most of the blood out of the leg. The deep veins generally follow the course of the associated arteries. If these valves become damaged and fail to function  blood can pool in the leg leading to thrombosis or blood clots. This pressurization of the venous valves is a result of gravity which happened during constant standing may lead to enlargement of the veins (varicose veins), pain, leg swelling, skin discoloration and even skin breakdown (ulcers). Venous disease is approximately 10 times more common than arterial disease.

Diagnosis of venous disease and conditions includes determining the amount and  direction of blood flow, the presence of clots, and the quality of venous valve function within the venous system. With Venous Duplex Scan a complete map of the venous system and the blood flow can be seen and the abnormalities noted.

Duplex ultrasound uses sound waves higher than human hearing can detect. Your physician uses Duplex ultrasound to measure the speed of blood flow and to see the structure of your leg vessels.

How a Venous Duplex Diagnostic Test Works

The venous duplex scan is a noninvasive (the skin is not pierced) ultrasound procedure. An ultrasound is something like the sonar used in ships at sea or airplanes and dolphins. As sound waves bounce off objects or organs, they can show location, size, and shape of the organ.

The equipment consists of:

• a transducer, which is a small hand-held device that looks like a microphone
• a screen to view the images that is like a television or computer monitor

Liquid jelly is used on the transducer and your skin to help transmit the sound waves. The transducer both sends the sound waves and records the echoes. A computer helps translate the echoes into images. These pictures can be recorded both as video and as still pictures (images). When the transducer (like a microphone) is placed on the abdomen at certain locations and angles, the ultrasonic sound waves move through the skin and other body tissues to the blood vessels.

This test used ultrasound to create a two-dimensional picture of your veins located in either the upper or lower extremity venous system. It provides images of blood flow and its direction as well as identification and location of existing clots, deep or superficial thrombosis, blood flow and its direction, quality of value function and is very useful in ruling out pulmonary emboli.

Venous Duplex Scan of the upper and lower extremities is cost-effective and first choice in diagnosing deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and chronic venous insufficiency. The evaluation of saphenous vein to verify its appropriateness for coronary bypass can also be determined. It is also used for other venous mapping prior to surgery. 

You may be asked to remove any jewelry or other objects from around your wrist or ankles. Venous duplex scan is performed as an outpatient office procedure.