A modified technique of ultrasonic triplex scanning of the lower extremity arteries

This study was undertaken to evaluate the utility of a modified technique of triplex scanning of the lower extremity arteries in 20 subjects without any clinical signs of arterial disease. The distal aorta and iliac arteries were examined with the subject in supine position and lying slightly on the opposite side. By moderate compression of the probe towards the psoas muscle and directing it over the iliac arteries with slight medial retraction of the abdomen, satisfactory visualization of the common and external arteries with 7.5 MHz high resolution imaging and a 5.6 MHz doppler probe were obtained in 56 of 80 segments (70%). In obese individuals it was necessary to use 5 MHz probe for satisfactory scanning of the aortic bifurcation and common iliac arteries. The distal superficial femoral, popliteal and tibioperoneal trunk segments were examined with the patient prone and the knee slightly flexed. Peak systolic, early diastolic reverse and late diastolic forward flow velocities were studied together with measurement of the arterial diemeters, which demonstrated wide variations. This study suggests that satisfactory scanning of the iliac and femoropopliteal arteries with the described technique can be achieved in the majority of subjects with a superficial high resolution probe. The combination of 7.5 MHz two-dimensional imaging with a 5.6 MHz pulsed wave Doppler probe offers optimal information of these arteries in nonobese individuals.