As time goes by, innovations are surfacing from everywhere, making our lives easier and simple.
One of these innovations includes the Doppler Ultrasound. Using a gel and wand-like device known as a transducer, the doppler ultrasound sends sound waves into your body and the results are then displayed upon the monitor in the form of either graphs or easy-to-comprehend images.
However, there’s so much more to this test than just images. So, to find out more, continue reading!
What is a Doppler Ultrasound
The basic definition of Doppler ultrasound means the usage of sound waves to produce images and films of blood that’s traveling through your circulatory system.
These images show the direction of the blood flow along with its speed. The speed is judged by measuring the rate of change in the blood’s pitch or frequency.
A Doppler ultrasound is done by a technician that is specialized in ultrasound imaging.
The procedure starts with the technician placing a small hand device, called a transducer, against your skin, over the area which is being examined, and tends to move the device as necessary.
A Doppler ultrasound is usually done as an alternative to more aggressive procedures like angiography, which includes the injection of dye into the blood vessels. These blood vessels are then shown on the X-ray in the form of clear images.
Types of Doppler Ultrasound
Doppler ultrasound can be further divided into different types which include:
- Power Doppler: This type of test is directed towards the presence of blood in the body. Such a test doesn’t show the direction of the blood flow but it does provide its inspectors with a study of blood flow within organs.
- Color Doppler: Such a type of test is targeted specifically towards the direction of the blood flow which is shown with the help of changing sound waves represented by different colors.
- Transcranial Doppler Ultrasound: This sort of ultrasound is directed towards the blood flow in your brain to help detect subarachnoid bleeding or strokes.
- Duplex Ultrasound: A duplex ultrasound involves the base, doppler, and duplex ultrasound giving it the name duplex ultrasound. This type of test examines the width of blood vessels allowing the examiners to detect any blockages.
- Spectral Doppler: Spectral doppler is a graphical representation of the overall blood flow over time.
Advantages of Doppler Ultrasound
This widely used ultrasound is gaining popularity day by day due to its eye-catching advantages which include:
- Fast recognition of the blood vessels: As compared to other ultrasounds, the doppler ultrasound gives a fast and effective overview of the valves, vessels, and turbulent flow.
- Non-invasive approach: Mostly this is the reason why people go for Doppler Ultrasound. Because it is not extremely aggressive on the body, and to some extent is gentle. It doesn’t use any form of radiation, and the procedure is painless.
- Detects blood clots: The formation of blood clots is extremely dangerous and can be linked back to many life-threatening diseases. With the help of a doppler ultrasound, serious problems can be detected on time, allowing one to avoid significant repercussions.
- Important in cases of pregnancy: A doppler ultrasound is recommended by almost all doctors during pregnancy. This is because such a test allows doctors to assess the blood flow between a woman and her unborn baby.
- Directly identifies illnesses: The ultrasound will raise a red sign if any tumors are found in blood vessels or if there are any renal vascular causes of hypertension or a serious chronic venous insufficiency.
How Doppler Ultrasound Has Revolutionized The Medicine Industry
The doppler ultrasound, also commonly known as the Doppler effect, has for sure changed the way things used to be done.
The characteristic of doppler ultrasound to perfectly evaluate the speed and direction of blood flow have been extremely useful.
It is crucial to cardiovascular studies also known as sonography of the vasculature system and heart and in other areas such as liver vasculature in portal hypertension.
According to the doppler effect a receiver, which is supposed to move relative to the inverter, is receiving a different frequency than emitted.
In case the transmitter and receiver are found to be closer, the received frequency is higher than the transmitted and vice versa. The gap or difference between transmitted frequency and received frequency is what we name the Doppler Shift.
What Is The Difference Between Doppler And Ultrasound
When one goes to the doctor, they’ll have two options; either to go for the simple basic ultrasound or the doppler ultrasound. Both have the word ultrasound in them, but where’s the difference then?
A Doppler ultrasound operates by measuring sound waves that are reflected with the help of the movement of objects, such as red blood cells.
On the other hand, a normal ultrasound uses specific sound waves that help create images of structures inside the body. However, the thing with a regular ultrasound is that it’s limited to only the sound waves, and can’t show the blood flow.
Why Does One Need a Doppler Ultrasound
If you’re experiencing any one of the symptoms down below, it might be the time to check in for a doppler ultrasound.
- Extreme shortness of breath
- Weakness or numbness in your legs
- Random cold feeling in the lower region of your leg or foot
- Painful cramping in the hips or leg muscles when doing movement
- Frequent feelings of fatigue
- Swelling in the leg, feet, or abdomen area
- In case you have a stroke, doctors will recommend doing a doppler ultrasound to check the blood flow to the brain
- If a person is affected by a blood flow disorder, a doppler ultrasound becomes necessary.
Final Words
The advantages of getting a doppler ultrasound done and that too at the right time are numerous and note-worthy.
If you’re a doctor that’s thinking of introducing this type of test in your vicinity, don’t hesitate for a bit. As the times move forward one needs to adapt, and by adapting you’ll succeed.
Therefore, if you haven’t yet bought a doppler ultrasound machine for your clinic/hospital, it’s time you do. Take a look at AKW medical, specialized in medical equipment for over 30 years. You won’t be disappointed.
