Noninvasive testing in the evaluation of peripheral vascular disease

Noninvasive testing for peripheral vascular disease is a simple and painless method to detect and localize arterial and venous pathology. It is recommended for clients experiencing symptoms of muscle or tissue ischemia and for clients who have a history of atherosclerosis prior to any operative procedure of the lower extremity where the potential for healing is in question. Postoperatively, noninvasive testing is used to assess graft patency after lower extremity revascularization. Venous evaluation for deep vein thrombosis is also performed. This article discusses techniques involved in noninvasive testing.