[Ultrasound in vascular surgery]

Diagnosing vascular diseases by ultrasound is of major interest to vascular surgeons and now regarded as the primary noninvasive technique. This paper presents developments in four different fields: stenoses of the carotid arteries, peripheral artery occlusive diseases (PAOD) including surveillance programs, diseases of the veins, and abdominal aortic aneurysm. Calculating the extent of a carotid artery stenosis is now accurate, but plaque imaging remains complex. Examination by ultrasound should precede any invasive techniques in PAOD. Duplex surveillance on a routine basis is no longer recommended after infrainguinal bypass. In future vascular diseases will be diagnosed primarily by ultrasound. Diagnosis of abdominal aneurysm is now absolutely reliable, whereas planning and follow-up of endoluminal techniques are quite restricted.