Abdominal Duplex Exam

About the Exam
An abdominal duplex Doppler examination is a specialized ultrasound procedure that produces images of blood vessels in your abdomen. The blood vessels most commonly evaluated are:

• Portal venous/hepatic venous system—This study includes the examination of the inferior vena cava (IVC), superior mesenteric vein and the splenic vein.
• Superior mesenteric artery (SMA) and celiac artery—This includes an evaluation of the aorta, hepatic artery, plenic artery and the inferior mesenteric artery (IMA).
• Aorta and renal arteries—The renal duplex scan includes an evaluation of the aorta and renal arteries. In addition to taking pictures of these structures, a special form of ultrasound called Doppler is utilized to listen to blood flow. This is a non-invasive procedure that is performed without needles, injections, or dye of any kind.

Preparation
This procedure requires that you do not eat or drink anything after midnight the night before the exam. Exceptions will be made if you are currently taking any medication that cannot be put off until the procedure is completed, or for children under the age of 1. If necessary, take your medications with small sips of water only. Food or water in excess of that which is required for medication will cause the normal digestion process in your stomach to begin and gas pockets to form. Gas pockets effect the quality of the pictures and may result in a delay in or rescheduling of the exam.