Vascular assessment

Abstract

The assessment of the patient with peripheral vascular disease encompasses a thorough history and physical examination with the adjunctive use of the noninvasive vascular laboratory to confirm, localize, and grade lesions. The need for additional vascular testing depends upon the clinical scenario and urgency with which intervention must be undertaken with contrast angiography reserved for planning surgical intervention. While multiple noninvasive and invasive methods are available to assess the peripheral vasculature, it should be obvious that not every patient requires an exhaustive battery of tests in order to evaluate their vascular status. In general, only those tests that are likely to provide information which will alter the course of action should be performed. Differing clinical syndromes mandate the extent of peripheral vascular testing. Table 5 lists distinct clinical syndromes and presentations and the peripheral vascular testing that is likely to yield timely and cost efficient results.