Mercy Suburban Hospital’s Vascular Laboratory is one of the key components for care of our patients with vascular conditions. Noninvasive testing allows patients to be examined using Doppler ultrasound equipment free of the risks and discomforts of injections and/or other invasive maneuvers. These tests allow diagnosis of almost all known or suspected vascular disorders and testing can often determine the severity of the problems and it treatment. Testing after a vascular intervention or surgery is also performed and can determine if the vessel has been restored to normal or measure improvements in blood flow.
Vascular laboratory testing is used to diagnose:
- Peripheral arterial disease (PAD)-blockages in the circulation to
the arms or legs due to atherosclerosis or other disease which may
threaten the limbs.
- Cerebrovascular disease – blockages in the arteries to the brain that may increase risk of stroke.
- Deep venous thrombosis (DVT) – blood clots in the veins that could migrate to the heart and lungs.
- Chronic venous disease – varicose veins and other disorders that cause leg swelling or leg ulcers.
- Renal artery disease- circulatory disorders of the kidneys that cause hypertension (high blood pressure) or kidney failure.
- Aortic Aneurysms- a ballooning of the major artery that can cause a fatal rupture.
Specialty testing is also offered and consists of:
- Vein mapping for bypass procedures.
- Hepatoportal vein evaluation for blockage of veins in the liver.
- Dialysis graft surveillance.
