Diagnostic Partners’ Services

The resting echocardiogram shows a real-time, cross-sectional, two-dimensional image of the patient’s beating heart, including the heart’s chambers, valves and large blood vessels. The technologist also employs Doppler ultrasound imaging during the resting echocardiogram to reveal blood-flow direction and velocity. The echocardiogram’s data is recorded as both still and video images and a permanent record is created. A resting echocardiogram is a safe, painless procedure for the patient that takes the sonographer about 25 – 30 minutes to perform.

A conventional stress echocardiogram requires the use of a treadmill because the patient is monitored during physical activity. Before starting the stress echocardiogram, the sonographer first obtains baseline resting echocardiogram images. Following the baseline images, the patient moves to a treadmill for a stress test, where they are monitored using an EKG and gradually increases his/ her efforts until at 85 percent of maximum heart rate. The patient is then quickly helped back to the exam table so the technician can capture the post-exercise echocardiogram images. Because the complete test requires an initial resting echocardiogram, the stress test, and a final, post-exercise echocardiogram, the procedure requires about 45-60 minutes.

Carotid duplex imaging is conducted via ultrasound. Unlike resting or stress echocardiograms, which examine the heart, during carotid duplex imaging the sonographer focuses on the patient’s carotid arteries in the neck. The test is designed to show whether and to what degree plaque has narrowed the arteries. Arterial plaque can compromise blood supply to the brain and increase risk of stroke.
For a carotid duplex procedure, the patient lies on his or her back. The procedure is safe, painless and relatively quick; it should take about 20 minutes.

During a peripheral arterial exam, the sonographer uses a variety of ultrasound imaging techniques to produce images of the arterial blood flow in the patient’s lower extremities. The peripheral arterial exam may include real-time ultrasound imaging, Doppler spectrum analysis, and segmental pressures. The peripheral arterial takes about 45 minutes to complete.

During an abdominal aorta scan, the sonographer uses two types of ultrasound to systematically interrogate the entire length of the abdominal aorta. They also create images of the common iliac arteries. The most frequent reason for ordering an abdominal aorta scan is to check for the presence of an enlargement in the aorta that indicates an aneurysm. The abdominal aorta scan is safe and painless. The patient lies motionless on their back while the sonographer creates ultrasound images of the abdomen. The abdominal aorta scan should take 15 – 20 minutes.

The Venous Duplex scan is a painless exam that uses ultrasound to check the circulation in the large veins in the legs. During a lower extremity scan, the veins in the legs and ankles are viewed. The procedure takes about 30 minutes to complete.