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How can duplex scanning show an artery and measure its blood flow?
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Duplex scanning is a diagnostic technique that combines two distinct ultrasonic methods to visualize and analyze blood vessels simultaneously.1
- Visualization: It utilizes B-scan imaging, which employs a linear array of transducers to create a two-dimensional plot of internal structures, allowing the physician to identify and locate the artery.1
- Measurement: It incorporates Doppler imaging, which relies on the Doppler effect. When an ultrasonic beam reflects off moving blood cells, the frequency of the reflected wave shifts. Because the frequency shift is proportional to the velocity of the moving blood, this data is calibrated to measure the rate of blood flow.12
By integrating these technologies, duplex scanning allows for the immediate identification of an artery and the precise measurement of the blood flowing through it, which is particularly useful for diagnosing conditions like arterial diseases and heart valve defects.1