What is Doppler is a special technique that measures blood flow through the body’s vessels. Thanks to measurements made with sound waves, the direction and speed of blood flow in the vessels are analyzed in detail, providing valuable insights into circulatory health.
What is Doppler should also be understood as a method offering a wide range of applications, from diagnosing heart diseases to monitoring pregnancy. It plays a critical role especially in the early detection of conditions such as vascular occlusions, varicose veins, and clot formation. Moreover, Doppler examinations are frequently used to evaluate arteries like the carotid artery, which supplies blood to the brain.
What is Doppler, Where is it Performed?
Doppler is a special imaging method applied to examine blood circulation within the body. It is based on the analysis of reflections created when sound waves hit the blood flow. This technology plays a very important role in the diagnosis of vascular diseases. It is especially used to reveal circulation-related issues such as vascular occlusions, clot formation, or narrowing.
Known also as Doppler USG or Doppler ultrasonography, this method is a non-invasive test, meaning it is performed without entering the body. In the application, high-frequency sound waves are used to examine the blood flow in vessels. In this way, circulation problems in various regions such as the heart, brain, legs, or kidneys can be detected. At the same time, this test provides information about the condition of the placenta and the baby’s vessels during pregnancy.
The place where the test is performed may vary depending on the patient’s need and the doctor’s direction. Generally, this procedure is carried out in radiology departments of hospitals, private imaging centers, or some clinics. No special preparation is usually required before the procedure, and it is often performed while the patient is standing or lying on their back.
Doppler testing is preferred in the following cases:
An advanced form of this method, color Doppler, makes the direction and speed of blood flow more visible through color images. It is particularly effective in analyzing changes in blood flow speed. Graphics and images generated by processing the reflected sound waves on a computer make diagnosis easier.
The information obtained by evaluating the reflected sound waves enables the early detection of many vascular diseases and allows appropriate treatment planning. This clearly demonstrates why Doppler is such an indispensable tool in medicine.
This test is requested to determine the speed and direction of blood flow in vessels. Doctors use this test to examine vascular occlusion, narrowing, clotting, varicose veins, or circulation problems in the placenta and the baby during pregnancy. It can also be used to detect leakage in heart valves or to assess whether organs are receiving enough blood flow.
During the imaging process, the patient is usually in a lying position on their back. A special gel is applied to the area to be examined, and imaging is performed by applying gentle pressure with an ultrasound probe over the skin. During the procedure, the images generated by the sound waves are instantly reflected on the screen.
Doppler is a special type of ultrasound technology. While standard ultrasound provides structural images of organs, Doppler ultrasound evaluates the flow of moving blood. In other words, ultrasound shows the structure; Doppler shows the function. Both operate using sound waves but have different usage purposes.
The procedure can easily be applied to many different parts of the body. Among the most commonly preferred areas are the neck vessels known as carotid arteries, the veins of the legs and arms, the vessels around the heart, the renal arteries, the uterus and umbilical cord vessels during pregnancy, and the vessels of internal abdominal organs. Evaluating blood flow in these areas provides highly valuable information in the diagnostic process.
Preparations before imaging vary depending on the area to be scanned. In cases where leg and neck vessels are examined, generally no special preparation is required, whereas for the abdominal area, a fasting period of 6 to 8 hours before the scan is recommended. It is advisable to wear comfortable clothing on the day of the procedure. Also, if there are any regular medications being taken, it is important to inform the doctor beforehand.
The time to receive the results depends on the workload and organizational structure of the center where the procedure is performed. In private health centers, results are often available the same day or the next day, while in public hospitals, this process may take several days. In cases of emergency, a preliminary evaluation can be performed quickly under doctor supervision after the scan.
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