No special preparation is required for this examination. Please bring your referral form from the doctor or specialist.

The ultrasound examination is performed by a sonographer, a health professional specialised in performing ultrasound examinations. They have a graduate qualification and are fully qualified to perform the examination.

The sonographer performs the examination and provides an interpretation of the images on the screen to a radiologist (medical specialist), who will review the sonographer’s interpretation and discuss the images with them, before providing a report on the findings to your doctor.

Sometimes, it will be necessary for the radiologist to attend the examination, as it may be important to see the images on the screen rather than just the still photographs and discuss your symptoms.

You will be asked to lie on a narrow bed. The Sonographer will spread gel on the area to be examined usually from the groin to the ankle. This will allow us to obtain high quality images. The Sonographer will ask you to lie on your back initially and then possibly turn onto your stomach about halfway through the examination to examine the veins at the back of your legs.

This procedure takes 20-30 minutes.

The Radiologist will review the ultrasound images and provide a written to your Doctor. If there is a clot, we will ring your doctor while you are still here to see what the next step in your care will be.