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The vascular laboratory is the site of a variety of non-invasive tests used to measure blood flow to help diagnose vascular conditions such as peripheral artery disease (PAD), also known as peripheral vascular disease (PVD).

Aortic, Iliac Vena Cava or Renal Artery Stenosis Vascular Ultrasound. Do not eat or drink for six hours before your exam. Take any medications with a sip of water.

The Vascular lab evaluates blood vessels, arteries and veins, in the neck, arms, abdomen, and legs. Many of the exams involve imaging of specific blood vessels with duplex ultrasound. Some exams are performed without imaging the blood vessels.

The peripheral vascular examination provides valuable information on general health status and can help to determine the status of the arteries and veins.

What causes peripheral vascular disease? The most common cause of PVD is atherosclerosis, the buildup of plaque inside the artery wall. Plaque reduces the amount of blood flow to the limbs. It also decreases the oxygen and nutrients available to the tissue.

Symptoms of PAD can vary, but there are a few common ones. Pain, aching, heaviness, or cramping in your legs that comes when walking or climbing stairs and goes away after rest is called intermittent claudication. ... Your toenails and leg hair may stop growing. One foot may feel colder than the other.

Vascular studies are tests that check the blood flow in your arteries and veins. These tests are noninvasive. This means they don't use any needles. Vascular studies use high-frequency sound waves (ultrasound) to measure the amount of blood flow in your blood vessels.

This ultrasound examination is usually completed within 30 to 45 minutes. Occasionally, complex examinations may take longer.