Insufficient blood circulation and disturbance in the functioning of the circulatory system is encountered in modern people more and more often, there are many reasons for this, mainly they are related to the way of life of a person: overeating, sedentary lifestyle, weak physical activity, etc.
Problems with blood flow carry a realthreat to health, often cause more serious diseases. It is important to work on anticipation - see possible violations in advance and take appropriate treatment.
In the issue of diagnosing problems with blood circulation, a special scanning technique called "dopplerography" plays a huge role.
Contents of
- What is this technique, and how does it work?
- What can I see with a doppler?
- What kinds of dopplerography are used?
- Carrying out of the study: preparation and procedure
- What data is contained in the results of the study?
- How things stand in practice
- What for?
What is this technique, and how does it work?
It is based on the work of a special technical device - Doppler - which, with the help of ultrasound, makes it possible to study the state of blood flow in the human body.
Ultrasonic waves freely pass through the body, soft tissues and are reflected from moving objects( being in constant blood flow);Doppler catches reflections, converts signals to an image on the device's monitor;with the help of a specialist assesses the state of affairs.
Thanks to Doppler devices, doctors can see how the blood flows, what structure the vessels have, how to detect thrombi, blockages, etc. 
The advantage of dopplerography is that it is completely painless and safe for humans, it presents information hidden inside the human body that is not otherwise obtainable.
You can go through such diagnostics in the offices of ultrasound. Now devices for ultrasound studies are equipped with Doppler functions, which allows you to get more complete information about what is happening in the human circulatory system( the very structure of blood vessels and the characteristics of the movement of blood cells along them).
The study is conducted by a vascular surgeon or( most often) a specially trained doctor.
What can I see with a doppler?
Scanning with this device allows you to see the diseases of the arteries and veins, the violation of patency( occlusion) of blood, etc. With the help of dopplerography, the following are determined:
- arteries of the upper and lower extremities( arms and legs);
- occlusal iliac arteries and aorta;
- veins thromboses, varicose veins;
- protrusions( aneurysms), thinning of the arterial walls of the vessels.
Small, large, deep veins, the state of the valves, vascular patency, delays and blockages are examined; anomalies in the structure of the arteries, obstructions to blood flow, kinks, squeezing, etc. are determined.
When is doppler ultrasound recommended? Doctors can refer to this diagnosis if it is already confirmed:
- arterial diseases of the limbs;
- varicose veins and other venous diseases.
And also if the following symptoms occur:
- frequent numbness in the hands or feet;
- muscle pain that appears when walking, using the hands;
- appearance of skin pigmentation;
- severity in the limbs;
- sensitivity to cold( chilliness) and more.
What kinds of dopplerography are used?
When diagnosing blood flow in the extremities, the following types of dopplerography are used:
- Continuous .With its help, blood circulation in the vessels at high velocities is evaluated. Uses constant radiation and receiving reflections.
- Color .In this case, the nature and direction of the blood flow is monitored;depending on the direction it
is painted in red or blue( in the image). - Power .Here the blood flow velocity is estimated, depending on which the image is painted in the corresponding color: fast movement - yellow, slow - red, in different shades. Separately, we should highlight the method of three-dimensional imaging, which allows you to see the clinical picture of the location of blood vessels in the volume.
- Pulsed-wave .It is also used to assess speed in various blood vessels.
- Duplex .It uses two types: converting the readings into a black and white two-dimensional image( B-mode), and color Doppler.
- Triplex .It combines three types of dopplerography: B-mode, color and pulse-wave.
Carrying out the study: preparation and procedure
I must say that there is no special preparation for the Doppler examination of the limbs. Do not follow any diet or stop taking medication.
The procedure itself is also simple enough and does not require any special efforts:
- Initially, the specialist conducts a patient's examination in the sitting and standing position, studying the vessels. He can also put a tourniquet on his hands, feet and measure pressure. So the doctor determines the general condition, finds the most "problematic" areas.
- The patient lies on the couch, having undressed and removed the jewelry.
- Before diagnosis, the doctor applies a special gel to the desired areas of the body, which eliminates interference and improves the conductivity of information.
- Moving the sensor over the skin, the specialist sees the image on the monitor, evaluates the situation and situation. He can choose the frequency himself to get a better and more detailed picture.
- After gathering all the necessary information, the doctor stops the examination and gives the patient napkins to remove the gel from the skin.
There are no restrictions after the procedure: dopplerography does not cause any side effects, is painless and universal.
To do this research is recommended in special medical centers or hospitals with the separation of vascular surgery. Before performing it is best to consult a phlebologist.
What is the data in the study?
First of all it should be said that in the report on the passage of dopplerography recorded certain digital indicators, as well as the conclusion of a specialist.
The results mean little to people who do not have specialized medical education, and the results are already evaluated by a vascular surgeon, a doctor who treats veins( phlebologist).
When examining the blood circulation, the following indicators are evaluated:
- ankle-brachial index : measured as the ratio of pressure in the tibia and humerus arteries;
- indicator TIM : thickness of the shells of the vessel( inner and middle);
- maximum and minimum blood flow velocity in the artery ( Vmax, Vmin);
- resistance as the ratio of the difference between Vmax and Vmin to the maximum flow velocity( RI);
- blood vessel lumen change index ( PI), which is measured similarly to RI.
How things stand in practice
Because of the universality, effectiveness and safety of Doppler, people leave only good reviews about it, below you can read the most characteristic of them from the doctor and the patient.
The effectiveness of Doppler ultrasound is undeniable. Improvement of ultrasound diagnostics has led to the emergence of professional medical devices, and now every person can check himself in time, see deviations with their own eyes, understand the problem and find its solution.
The method is simple and safe: for ordinary people they allow you to monitor your health, and we, the doctors, can help patients much more effectively!
Andrei Timiryazev, phlebologist, 54 years old
Excellent thing! She helped me to determine the thrombophlebitis in advance and start treatment on time! A couple of years ago, on the right foot, there was some redness and swelling. Symptoms did not pass, and eventually I decided to see a doctor.
As a result, with the help of dopplerography, doctors saw the disease in the initial stage, prescribed medicines and ointments. Doppler helped me avoid serious pathologies!
Kirill, 43 years old
What for?
The spread of prices for the procedure of dopplerography is quite wide.
However, if we talk about the examination of the condition of the upper and lower extremities, the average cost, depending on the medical center, is from 1000 rubles.up to 3000 rubles. At the same time, the cost includes inspection and conclusion of a specialist.