Your safety is our priority

• The vascular lab uses non-invasive ultrasound equipment for diagnostic testing.  Ultrasound is a very safe tool, and patients are not exposed to radiation during ultrasound exams in the vascular lab.

• During the exam, the technologist must apply a water based ultrasound gel to the skin surface.  The ultrasound gel allows the ultrasound probe to make good contact with the skin, allowing the technologist to obtain the best possible images.  The ultrasound gel also makes the exam more comfortable for patients, allowing the probe to glide more smoothly over the skin surface.  It is very rare, but on occasion we have seen patients experience a very mild temporary skin irritation in areas where the ultrasound gel was present.

• When an exam request includes treadmill exercise testing, the treadmill test is only performed if the technologist determines it is a safe exam for the patient at the time of testing.  If for any reason it is determined that treadmill testing is not safe for both the technologist and the patient, treadmill testing will not be performed, and the technologist will be responsible for documenting the reason appropriately in the exam report.

Ultrasound is a very safe tool, and patients are not exposed to radiation during ultrasound exams.