[Doppler echocardiography and lower limb arteriopathy obliterans].
Duplex Doppler ultrasonography became the first line investigation in patients with lower limb arterial disease. It use the ultrasonic technology coupled to computer. Constant progress of duplex Doppler ultrasonography, as color flow imaging or power Doppler and more simply continuous refinements in grey scale image resolution, associated with the expansion of the interventional endovascular processing explains its significant development these last years. This simple non invasive technique is now an essential complement of physical examination. It is thus an usual tool use in common practice by vascular physicians and surgeons from tracking till processing while passing by the diagnosis. Duplex Doppler ultrasonography gives accurate informations about both structural and dynamic anomalies in the peripheral lower limb. It thus allows the evaluation, the quantification and the follow-up of the arterial diseases by carrying out a precise vascular mapping that can guides the radiological or surgical processing if necessary. Duplex Doppler ultrasonography remains however "operator depending" and moreover cannot replace the appropriate clinical decision making and medical therapeutic strategy.
Pividal
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Explorations fonctionnelles cardiovasculaires, CHU Bichat-Claude Bernard, 46, rue Henri Huchard, 75018 Paris, France. pividal@medscape.com
D001162:Arteriosclerosis Obliterans / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply*; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler