Vascular ultrasound
The London Clinic has a team of very highly experienced Clinical Vascular Scientists who have provided an extensive fully specialised vascular ultrasound service to The London Clinic for over 20 years.
Quick facts
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What is it for?
Ultrasound scan to assess the arteries and veins throughout the body (other than the heart)
Treatment overview
A vascular scan is a non-invasive, painless scan using high frequency sound waves to assess the blood flow in the arteries and veins throughout the body.
This is done by placing a probe on the skin with some ultrasound gel and then passing the probe across the skin with light pressure.
You will lie or sit on a bed or stand on a step depending on the test you are having. You may be asked to remain fairly still for the scan. Once the scan is finished you can leave straight away.
Types of vascular ultrasound scan
Carotid Duplex Scan: This is an ultrasound scan of the neck arteries that feed the brain. It takes up to 30 minutes.
This is for suspected transient ischemic attacks ('mini strokes'), stroke, or screening for very early disease of narrowing or blockage of the neck arteries.
Lower Limb Arterial Duplex Scan: This is an ultrasound of the leg arteries from your abdomen to your ankle. It takes up to one hour.
This is for intermittent claudication - pain in the legs when walking, acute ischemic disease (sudden blockages of the arteries), and/or aneurysms (short enlargement of the artery).
Lower Limb Venous Duplex Scan
This is an ultrasound scan of the leg veins and takes up to 45 minutes. This is for deep vein thrombosis (acute and chronic blockages in the vein) or varicose veins.
Aortic Duplex Scan
This is an ultrasound scan of the main abdominal arteries. It takes up to 30 minutes. This is for abdominal aortic aneurysms (short enlargement of the main artery in the abdomen) and endo-vascular stent follow-ups (graft used to treat the enlargement).
Upper Limb Venous Duplex Scan
This is an ultrasound scan of the veins of the arm and shoulder. It takes up to 30 minutes. This is for thrombosis (blockages in the vein) or thoracic outlet syndrome (compression of the arm veins by the musculoskeletal system in the neck/shoulder region).
Upper Limb Arterial Duplex
This is an ultrasound scan of the arteries of the arm and shoulder. The scan takes up to 30 minutes. The scan is for ischemia (blockage in the artery) and thoracic outlet syndrome (compression of the arm veins by the musculoskeletal system in the neck/shoulder region).
Fistula duplex (pre and post dialysis)
This is an ultrasound scan of the arm to assess the veins and arteries prior to fistula creation for dialysis patients and to monitor any access fistula veins after they have been created for dialysis.
The scan takes up to 45 minutes.
Popliteal entrapment Duplex
This is an ultrasound scan of the arteries of the leg together with a short exercise test. This is to assess the arteries behind the knee for any compression by the musclo-skeletal system during exercise.
Exercise Test
This involves performing a short exercise (usually standing toe raises for 1 minute) and measuring the blood pressures in the calves before and after using a cuff.
This is for patients who may have intermittent claudication (pain in the legs when exercising).
Why choose The London Clinic
Excellence in one place
The London Clinic, in collaboration with Northwestern Medicine, operate as teams of experts with world-class resources, dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of care. Supported by the latest treatments, expert guidance, and a comfortable recovery environment in our patient rooms, you'll have everything you need to regain your best health.
Personal care, every time
Exceptional patient care is a way of life for us. We’ll be with you every step of the way, tailoring your care to your specific needs, including healthy and delicious meals designed to support your recovery. We keep our staff-to-patient ratio low, so our nurses, clinicians, therapists, and support teams can offer a personalised, quality experience.
Effortlessly simple
We work together as one to guide you through every step of your patient experience. From explaining your personal treatment plan to ensuring all details are taken care of, we make the process stress-free, so you can focus on your health. Whether it’s your first consultation or follow-up care, our teams are here to provide seamless support and the peace of mind you deserve.
What's included in your package?
Choosing The London Clinic means your treatment plan will be laid out for you, with all the details taken care of so you can focus on you.
Your treatment package will include:
- Enhanced pre-admission assessment
- Your treatment with our complete care team at your fingertips
- Personalised aftercare and follow-up
We want you to be in control of your health. That’s why we also offer optional services such as comprehensive recovery packages and extra touches for you to choose from during your stay with us. To help you manage the cost, we also offer a 0% finance option, allowing you to spread the payments for your treatment over 12 months with no added interest. Learn more about our finance options here.
How to pay
- You can use private medical insurance (PMI) to access this treatment. We work with all major PMI providers in the UK and many internationally
- You can pay for yourself (self-pay)
- If you’re paying for yourself, we have 0% finance options available with Chrysalis. Find out more here.