Explore Our Services

Venous ultrasound is a painless, non-invasive scan used to assess the veins of the arms or legs. It serves two distinct clinical purposes.

The first is detecting venous thrombosis, identifying blood clots (DVT) in the deep or superficial veins of the upper or lower limb. This is often an urgent assessment, used when a patient presents with limb swelling, pain, or suspected clot.

The second is assessing lower limb venous insufficiency, mapping reflux and valve function in the leg veins to investigate varicose veins, chronic swelling, or skin changes related to poor venous return. This assessment guides decisions around conservative management or treatment such as endovenous ablation.

The two purposes require different scanning protocols. Referrals should specify which assessment is needed: thrombosis exclusion, insufficiency mapping, or both.

Arterial duplex maps blood flow through the arteries of the arms or legs. This scan looks for narrowing or blockages within the arterial tree that may account for a patient's symptoms, such as leg pain on walking, cold or discoloured limbs, weak or absent pulses, or wounds that won't heal.

Performed by specialist vascular sonographers, this study can pinpoint exactly where disease is occurring and how severe it is. This information helps guide the choice between ongoing monitoring, medication or intervention.

Ultrasound of the carotid arteries is used primarily to detect disease that may be likely to cause a stroke or that can be assigned to neurological symptom that a patient has presented with.

We also see a large number of patients with existing cardiovascular risk factors, where the referring doctor wants to know whether there is any intimal thickening or early plaque build-up. This information plays an important role in the decision to start these patients on medication.

As its name suggests, this test examines the abdominal and iliac arteries. The scan assesses for aneurysm, and looks for any narrowing or disease that may be contributing to reduced blood flow to the lower limbs.

This study is also used heavily in the surveillance of those with endovascular aneurysm repair.

This ultrasound study is used to detect thrombosis or any other kind of obstruction that may be causing lower limb or abdominal symptoms.

When performed by a specialist vascular sonographer this study has very high sensitivity for detecting May-Thurner Syndrome which is compression of the left common iliac vein by the right common iliac artery.

This study, which must be performed by a specialist vascular sonogrpaher, scan is primarily used to investigate pelvic congestion syndrome in women presenting with chronic pelvic pain, checking for incompetent or enlarged ovarian veins that may be contributing to their symptoms. Findings help guide the referring doctor's decision on further management, including whether embolisation may be of benefit.

Ovarian vein reflux can also play a part in varicose veins so having this examination may be included in the work up for treatment of this condition.

Renal duplex examines the renal arteries and veins, as well as blood flow within the kidney itself. The scan checks the renal arteries for narrowing that may be contributing to high blood pressure or declining kidney function, and assesses intra-renal flow patterns to help identify resistance or obstruction within the kidney.

The same technique is used to monitor transplanted kidneys, checking the transplant artery and vein for narrowing or thrombosis and assessing intra-renal flow to help detect rejection or other complications.

Mesenteric artery duplex ultrasound assesses blood flow through the coeliac axis, superior and inferior mesenteric arteries, which supply the digestive tract.

When this can is performed by a specialist vascular sonographer it has high sensitivity for identifying stenoses or compression syndromes that may be contributing to symptoms such as abdominal pain after eating or unexplained weight loss.

Portal venous ultrasound looks at the portal vein and its flow into the liver, along with the surrounding hepatic vasculature. The scan checks for thrombosis, narrowing, or reversal of flow within the portal system, and assesses for signs of portal hypertension such as reduced flow velocity or the presence of collateral vessels. This information helps the referring doctor understand the cause of liver-related symptoms and guides decisions around further management.