Instrumentation and examination procedures for a clinical vascular laboratory.
Instrumentation and examination procedures used in the clinical vascular Laboratory of the Massachusetts General Hospital are outlined and recommended for use in other similar laboratories. The arterial system is studied by the analysis of blood flow direction, segmental plethysmography, and systolic pressure measurements obtained at rest and following a measured exercise stress. The effect of induced reactive hyperemia on systolic pressure, obtained by direct intra-arterial measurement, is used to demonstrate the hemodynamic importance of stenotic lesions within the aorto-iliac system. Maximum venous outflow studies are combined with analyses of venous Doppler signals for purposes of screening patients with suspected deep venous thrombosis. The laboratory contributes important objective physiologic information to the examination of the arterial and venous systems. Experience obtained through the evaluationof more than 2500 patients resulted in the development of this recommended program.
D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D004865:Equipment and Supplies, Hospital; D006801:Humans; D010991:Plethysmography; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*