What is ultrasound mapping? Vein disease, which often manifests as varicose
veins, is defi ned as the impairment of blood fl ow to- wards your heart. Oxygenated blood is constantly being pumped from the heart to the rest of our bodies through arteries. It is the job of our veins to carry deoxygenated blood back up to the heart.
Healthy veins have valves that open and close to assist the return of blood to the heart. Vein disease occurs when these valves become damaged, allowing the backward fl ow of blood in the legs where it can pool, leading to a feeling of heaviness and fatigue and causing varicose veins or other skin changes.
Ultrasound is a tool used to diagnose if and where
a vein valve (or multiple valves) in the legs is damaged. High-frequency sound waves are used to create images that allow the doctor to see which veins have fl ow go- ing in which direction—like a road map for the venous system.
A healthy vein will only allow fl ow from the feet
towards the heart. Faulty veins are often connected, so fi nding the “source” of the problem is a complicated, but critical, step in establishing where exactly treatment should start.
Ultrasound is the gold standard for evaluation of
chronic venous disease, and it is important to have a qualifi ed sonographer perform the mapping in order to have accurate diagnostic results. A sonographer experi- enced in refl ux testing will usually conduct the examina- tion with the patient standing, rather than lying down, for the most precise “real-time” result.
After a diagnostic ultrasound is performed, the vein
specialist establishes a treatment plan to fi x the problem with a particular segment of the vein. After the treat- ment and a designated amount of time for healing, with the help of a diagnostic ultrasound, the physician will assess the effectiveness of the treatment plan based on results.
In every stage of venous care, from diagnosis to treatment, ultrasound is a valuable tool, acting as the “eyes inside the leg.”
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