The Types of Doppler Ultrasound

                                  

Ultrasounds use reflected sound waves to examine important organs and bodily systems. One form of them, the Doppler ultrasound, specializes in the examination of blood flow through blood vessels. Healthcare professionals can use Doppler ultrasounds to detect restricted blood flow, clots and heart defects, and monitor an individual’s heartbeat.

There are a few basic types of Doppler ultrasound, each serving their own unique purpose. Wondering what the types of Doppler ultrasound are? Let’s find out.

CONTINUOUS WAVE DOPPLER

The continuous wave Doppler, as its name suggests, continuously sends and receives signals. Doctors use the Doppler’s sound waves to assess blood flow through a restricted or blocked area. It allows for accurate measurement of fast-flowing blood and can quickly check the extent of damage or disease to the affected vessels. The procedure, typically done at a patient’s bedside, uses a small, portable machine. For these reasons, it’s also commonly referred to as a bedside Doppler.

DUPLEX DOPPLER

The duplex Doppler makes use of standard methods to form images of blood vessels and the surrounding organs. A computer translates these images into a simple-to-read graph, which shows the speed and direction of blood flow through the vessels.

COLOR DOPPLER

Another type of Doppler ultrasound is the color Doppler. The color Doppler, much like the duplex Doppler, relies on standard ultrasound methods. A computer translates the Doppler’s sound waves into a vibrant, colorful overlay that’s placed above an image of the blood vessels. These colors provide real-time information about the speed and direction of blood flow.

Power Doppler

The power Doppler is a newer, innovative type of color Doppler. It provides better detail of blood flow, exclusively in terms of speed. With a power Doppler, it’s impossible to examine the direction of blood flow.

WHY ARE DOPPLER ULTRASOUNDS IMPORTANT?

Doppler ultrasounds, no matter the type, are essential for examining a patient’s blood flow. They can help doctors detect conditions that are blocking or restricting blood flow, along with diagnosing instances of heart disease. They can check the heart’s function, look for blockages in blood flow, detect damage and defects in the blood vessels or heart, and monitor the heart rate and blood flow.

The procedure is simple and has no known risks. If patients are experiencing symptoms such as numbness, shortness of breath, painful cramping, swelling, and discoloration, their primary care physician might recommend an ultrasound.

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