Advanced Imaging at Sentara: Vascular Imaging

What is Vascular Disease?
Peripheral arties carry blood to the extremities, such as the legs and feet. When these blood vessels become clogged with calcium deposits, it narrows the passageway. The medical name for this hardening of the arteries (arteriosclerosis) is Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD) or Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD). This condition decreases the blood flow to the nerves and tissues, affecting 8 to 12 million Americans with pain in the legs, ulcers, wounds that will not heal and even more serious complications.

Who is at Risk?
Although anyone could develop Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD), people with the following conditions may be at greater risk: 
High blood pressure 
 Elevated cholesterol 
 Smoking or a history of smoking 
 Diabetes 
 Obesity 
 Family history of heart or vascular disease 
 Over 50 years in age

Vascular Imaging
Sentara imaging services offer a full range of non-invasive and minimally invasive diagnostic imaging services for patients with vascular disease. Your doctor will give you more information on the vascular imaging appropriate for your diagnosis.

Tests that may be used to diagnose Vascular Disease include: 
 Ultrasound (uses sound waves to make images of your internal structures) 
 CT Scan/MRI (uses X-rays and radio waves to form a picture) 
 Ankle Brachial Index (non-invasive test of blood pressure) 
 Doppler Study (measures and detects blood flow) 
 Arteriography (an X-ray image that shows the flow of blood)
 Angiography (outpatient procedure to help map blood vessels)

For more information, visit Medline Plus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health. 

Vascular Imaging Locations: 
For more information on these locations, select one of the locations listed above from our Where to Go section. 

 Executive Evaluation Center—Wainwright, Norfolk  
 Sentara Bayside Hospital, Virginia Beach 
 Sentara CarePlex Hospital, Hampton 
 Sentara Norfolk General Hospital 
 Sentara Leigh Hospital, Norfolk 
 Sentara Obici Hospital, Suffolk 
 Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital 
 Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center