Non-Invasive Vascular Laboratory

The Non-invasive Vascular Laboratory is a modern, uniquely designed facility to serve both inpatients and outpatients.

Non-invasive testing allows patients to be examined using Doppler ultrasound and other techniques that are free of the risks and discomforts of injections or other invasive procedures.

With these tests, we are able to diagnose almost all known or suspected vascular disorders and determine the severity of the problem. The vascular laboratory is accredited by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC).

Non-Invasive Tests

The non-invasive tests are available at the Non-Invasive Vascular Laboratory include:

• Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) - blockages in the circulation to the arms or legs due to atherosclerosis or other diseases
  • Doppler arterial exams of the legs or arms (Physiologic testing)
  • Duplex ultrasound scan of the extremity arteries
  • Treadmill exercise testing for claudication (leg pain with walking)
• Cerebrovascular Disease - blockages in the arteries to the brain or holes in the heart that may increase the risk of stroke
  • Carotid artery duplex scan
  • Transcranial Doppler bubble study
• Intracranial Vascular Disease - blockages or spasm of arteries inside the brain
  • Transcranial Doppler (TCD)
• Deep Venous Thrombosis (DVT) - blood clots in the veins that could migrate to the lungs
  • Inferior vena cava (IVC) scan
• Renal Artery Disease - circulatory disorders of the kidneys that cause hypertension (high blood pressure) or kidney failure
  • Duplex scan of the renal veins
• Mesenteric Arterial Disease - disorders of circulation to the gut
• Aortic Aneurysms - a ballooning of the major artery that can cause fatal rupture
  • Aortic duplex scan
  • Duplex scan of peripheral arteries for aneurysms
• Chronic Venous Disease - varicose veins and other disorders that cause leg swelling and leg ulcers
  • Photoplethysmography (PPG)
  • Air plethysmography (APG)
  • Duplex scan of the venous valves
• Dialysis Access planning and follow-up - testing of veins and arteries in the arms to plan the procedure, and to follow-up on how the access is maturing and doing over the long-term
  • Mapping of the arm arteries and veins prior to dialysis fistula creation
  • Dialysis access maturation study
• Other specialized examinations
  • Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography for aortic endografts
  • Vein "mapping" for peripheral vascular or coronary bypass
  • Arm artery "mapping" for coronary bypass
  • Temporal artery duplex scan for Temporal arteritis
  • Ocular duplex scan for ocular ischemia

Venous Screening Program

The purpose of the Venous Screening Program is to:

• Promote awareness about venous diseases including deep venous thrombosis (DVT, blood clot in the leg), pulmonary embolism (PE), chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) and varicose veins (VV)
• Promote venous health by identifying individuals at high risk for DVT
• Improve venous health by identifying individuals with CVI and VV

Screening offers an opportunity to know if you are at risk for venous disease, so you can make lifestyle changes to reduce that risk. Screening will also inform you if you have venous disease so that you may be treated as soon as possible.

Screening takes about 20 minutes and is a combination of a questionnaire and a rapid ultrasound examination. Venous screening is a free public service provided to all hospital and university employees at our Center for Vascular Diagnostics.

Locations

The Noninvasive Vascular Laboratory is located at two locations:

Outpatient Paca Redwood Lab
419 West Redwood Street, Suite 300
Baltimore, MD 21201

Inpatient Hospital Lab
22 South Greene Street, Room SB03
Baltimore, MD 21201