Angiology

Ultrasound examination of blood vessels is a completely painless procedure in which an ultrasound probe is placed on areas along the course of arteries and veins, which are displayed on a monitor. The vessel wall, narrowing or blockage of vessels, and blood flow velocity are assessed. In the hands of an experienced physician, the examination is very accurate, and based on its results, the optimal treatment approach can be recommended.

Most commonly examined arteries and veins:

disease of the lower limb arteries manifests as so-called claudication (cramping pain when walking)

narrowing of the artery supplying the kidney presents as impaired kidney function or high blood pressure

narrowing of the carotid artery (artery supplying the brain) manifests as a stroke

an aneurysm of the main abdominal vessel (aorta) may present as abdominal pain

blockage of the deep veins of the lower limb (thrombosis) presents as sudden swelling of the calf

In the vascular laboratory (non-invasive vascular examination unit), we are able to offer several painless diagnostic methods that provide an accurate picture of the vascular system:

Ankle pressures – an examination using an ultrasound (Doppler) signal that can assess the degree of reduced blood flow in the lower limbs.

Capillary perfusion – an examination using special finger pneumoplethysmography, capable of detecting impaired circulation in small blood vessels (capillaries).

Digital photoplethysmography – a leading method for examining venous swelling of the limbs, assessing the degree of venous insufficiency, and determining its potential for improvement (e.g., through varicose vein surgery).

A modern, non-invasive imaging method of the nailfold capillaries. Specially adapted microscopy—capillaroscopy—allows visualization of capillaries at various magnifications, as well as recording, processing, and archiving capillaroscopic images on a computer.

Changes in capillary shape may be the first (and sometimes the only) sign of serious rheumatic and vascular diseases, even in childhood. A high-quality capillaroscopic image can therefore help refine the diagnosis, especially in situations where clinical symptoms are not typical or are only just beginning. The use of capillaroscopy is therefore very broad:

Pediatric rheumatology (juvenile idiopathic arthritis, diffuse connective tissue diseases, systemic lupus erythematosus, primary vasculitides, and others)

Rheumatology (systemic scleroderma, dermatomyositis, mixed connective tissue disease – MCTD, psoriasis, Raynaud’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and others)

Angiology (Raynaud’s disease and Raynaud’s syndrome, small-vessel vasculitis, acrocyanosis, diabetes mellitus, algoneurodystrophy, and others)

Radiology (chronic post-radiation syndrome – biological dosimetry, acute irradiation)

Internal medicine (anemia, hypertension, atherosclerosis, and others)

It deals with lymphatic swelling of the limbs—so-called LYMPHEDEMAS, which arise as a result of damage to the lymphatic system. On the lower limbs, a classic example is swelling after “rose” (erysipelas) or after gynecological surgeries; on the upper limbs, it is often swelling following breast surgery.

In the first phase, the patient undergoes a thorough examination—causes of swelling can be very different, and not all swellings are lymphatic. The examination includes ultrasound (Doppler), assessment of venous function (plethysmography), and blood tests (to rule out other causes of swelling, e.g., thyroid or kidney disorders).

Once a diagnosis of LYMPHEDEMA is established, comprehensive treatment is recommended and carried out at our specialized center: short-stretch bandaging with special bandages or compression stockings, manual and device-assisted lymphatic drainage (see the rehabilitation – lymphatic drainage section ), patient education, and regular follow-ups.