• Home

Home > Medical Reference > Encyclopedia (English)

Toggle: English / Spanish

Duplex ultrasound

• Overview
• Risks
• Results

Alternative Names:

Vascular ultrasound

What the risks are:

There are no risks.

Special considerations:

Cigarette smoking may alter the results of an ultrasound of the arms and legs because nicotine can cause the arteries to constrict (shrink).

References:

Marx J. Rosen’s Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice . 5th ed. St. Louis, Mo: Mosby; 2002:377, 1192.

Grainger RC, Allison D, Adam, Dixon AK. Diagnostic Radiology: A Textbook of Medical Imaging . 4th ed. Orlando, Fl: Churchill Livingstone; 2001:60, 1684.

• Review Date: 9/15/2006
• Reviewed By: Cameron Akbari, MD, MBA, FACS, Senior Attending, Vascular Surgery Director, Vascular Diagnostic Laboratory, Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is the first of its kind, requiring compliance with 53 standards of quality and accountability, verified by independent audit. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial process . A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics (www.hiethics.com) and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 1997-2007 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.