Dopplers

Atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) is a condition that decreases your quality of life and your life expectancy. It is also related to PAD (peripheral arterial disease), a condition that increases your risk of coronary heart disease and stroke by two to four times. When patients come to see us complaining of claudication (painful cramping in the legs, often induced by exercise), naturally we suspect PAD as a possible cause.

One of the tools we use to diagnose peripheral arterial disease is Doppler Ultrasound. This advanced form of medical imaging adds color-coding to standard ultrasound images, so that the sonographer can see blood flowing through the arteries in real time. For example, blood flow can be color-coded to appear blue when flowing normally but to appear red when blood flow is blocked or turbulent (a possible sign of arterial blockage).

The safe, painless diagnostic procedure made possible by Doppler Ultrasound allows the top vascular specialists in Bergen County to diagnose PAD early, without having to perform any invasive procedures. If they detect abnormalities in your peripheral arteries due to plaque buildup, they will discuss appropriate treatment options with you.