Ultrasound Clinical Guide: Arteries of the Legs

Ultrasound
24 articles
Peripheral arterial disease can be tough to diagnose and may require urgent treatment, so it is vital to know how to use and interpret arterial ultrasounds. This clinical guide will show you how to identify symptoms, perform a basic arterial duplex and ankle-brachial index (ABI), and interpret the findings, so that you can give immediate results to your patients.
Peripheral arterial disease can be tough to diagnose and may require urgent treatment, so it is vital to know how to use and interpret arterial ultrasounds. This clinical guide will show you how to identify symptoms, perform a basic arterial duplex and ankle-brachial index (ABI), and interpret the findings, so that you can give immediate results to your patients.
Last update26th Feb 2021
Chapter 1

Overview of lower extremity peripheral artery disease (PAD)

Peripheral artery disease presents in various forms and urgency stages. The articles in this chapter will teach you to recognize the symptoms of lower extremity atherosclerosis, popliteal artery entrapment, aneurysms, and pseudoaneurysms. Differentiating between diabetic ulcers, venous ulcers, and arterial ulcers can be particularly challenging, so we’ll cover a few tips and tricks that will help you make an accurate diagnosis in no time! 

Basic anatomy of the lower extremity arteries

Click here to learn about the five lower extremity arteries that are examined in a routine arterial ultrasound.

By Elizabeth Tenny, BS RVT RDCSLast update 26th Feb 20214m read

How to assess for atherosclerosis of the lower extremities

Hear from our in-house expert on how to recognize risk factors and clinical symptoms of peripheral atherosclerosis in your patients.

By Elizabeth Tenny, BS RVT RDCSLast update 26th Feb 20215m read

How to differentiate between arterial, venous, and diabetic ulcers

Learn how to recognize the clinical presentation of chronic arterial, venous, and diabetic ulcers. Click here to read more!

By Elizabeth Tenny, BS RVT RDCSLast update 26th Feb 20216m read

Medical and surgical treatment options for lower extremity atherosclerosis

Learn to recognize the clinical indications of medical and surgical treatments for your patients with atherosclerosis.

By Elizabeth Tenny, BS RVT RDCSLast update 26th Feb 20213m read

How to assess and treat lower extremity arterial aneurysms

Read about the risk factors, symptoms, and treatments of lower extremity arterial aneurysms in your patients.

By Elizabeth Tenny, BS RVT RDCSLast update 26th Feb 20215m read

How to assess and treat peripheral arterial disease (PAD) caused by trauma

CME accredited article: learn how to assess and treat damage from traumatic peripheral arterial disease (PAD).

By Elizabeth Tenny, BS RVT RDCSLast update 26th Feb 20214m read
Chapter 4

When to order and how to interpret a basic arterial duplex

This chapter will help you take your knowledge of arterial ultrasound to the next level. These articles introduce the arterial duplex test for the diagnosis of peripheral artery disease. The arterial duplex is a valuable tool for pinpointing the stenosis location and quantifying the percentage of stenosis. You’ll learn the basics of duplex images, waveforms, and velocities for a comprehensive ultrasound study in your patients.

Chapter 5

How to perform an arterial duplex

After reading this chapter, you’ll feel confident using an ultrasound machine to diagnose patient cases in the acute setting! This portion of the guide reviews relevant ultrasound machine buttons, transducers, orientations, landmarks, and a basic protocol for lower extremity arterial duplex tests. 


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