The London Clinic has a team of very highly experienced Clinical Vascular Scientists who have provided an extensive fully specialised vascular ultrasound service to The London Clinic for over 20 years.
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What is it for?
Ultrasound scan to assess the arteries and veins throughout the body (other than the heart)
On this page
Treatment overview
A vascular scan is a non-invasive, painless scan using high frequency sound waves to assess the blood flow in the arteries and veins throughout the body.
This is done by placing a probe on the skin with some ultrasound gel and then passing the probe across the skin with light pressure.
You will lie or sit on a bed or stand on a step depending on the test you are having. You may be asked to remain fairly still for the scan. Once the scan is finished you can leave straight away.
Diagnostic information
Types of vascular ultrasound scan
Carotid Duplex Scan: This is an ultrasound scan of the neck arteries that feed the brain. It takes up to 30 minutes.
This is for suspected transient ischemic attacks (‘mini strokes’), stroke, or screening for very early disease of narrowing or blockage of the neck arteries.
Lower Limb Arterial Duplex Scan: This is an ultrasound of the leg arteries from your abdomen to your ankle. It takes up to one hour.
This is for intermittent claudication – pain in the legs when walking, acute ischemic disease (sudden blockages of the arteries), and/or aneurysms (short enlargement of the artery).
Lower Limb Venous Duplex Scan
This is an ultrasound scan of the leg veins and takes up to 45 minutes. This is for deep vein thrombosis (acute and chronic blockages in the vein) or varicose veins.
Aortic Duplex Scan
This is an ultrasound scan of the main abdominal arteries. It takes up to 30 minutes. This is for abdominal aortic aneurysms (short enlargement of the main artery in the abdomen) and endo-vascular stent follow-ups (graft used to treat the enlargement).
Upper Limb Venous Duplex Scan
This is an ultrasound scan of the veins of the arm and shoulder. It takes up to 30 minutes. This is for thrombosis (blockages in the vein) or thoracic outlet syndrome (compression of the arm veins by the musculoskeletal system in the neck/shoulder region).
Upper Limb Arterial Duplex
This is an ultrasound scan of the arteries of the arm and shoulder. The scan takes up to 30 minutes. The scan is for ischemia (blockage in the artery) and thoracic outlet syndrome (compression of the arm veins by the musculoskeletal system in the neck/shoulder region).
Fistula duplex (pre and post dialysis)
This is an ultrasound scan of the arm to assess the veins and arteries prior to fistula creation for dialysis patients and to monitor any access fistula veins after they have been created for dialysis.Â
The scan takes up to 45 minutes.
Popliteal entrapment Duplex
This is an ultrasound scan of the arteries of the leg together with a short exercise test. This is to assess the arteries behind the knee for any compression by the musclo-skeletal system during exercise.
Exercise Test
This involves performing a short exercise (usually standing toe raises for 1 minute) and measuring the blood pressures in the calves before and after using a cuff.
This is for patients who may have intermittent claudication (pain in the legs when exercising).
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We offer Fixed Price Packages
Where possible, we’ll provide a fixed-price package for your hospital care. This covers your hospital stay, nursing, and use of our facilities, giving you a clear guide to what those costs will be.
- Pre-op assessment
- Hospital stay, nursing care and meals
- Tests, scans and physio during your stay
- Take-home medication (up to 5 days)
- Post-op follow-up appointments
- Standard equipment or prosthesis (if needed)
- Unplanned extended stay or ITU (if clinically required)
- Initial consultation and any tests done during it
- Consultant and anaesthetist fees (quoted separately)
- Physio or therapy before or after your stay
- Diagnostics before admission (unless agreed in your plan)
- Specialist medication beyond 5 days
- Ambulance transport or bespoke prosthetics
Your consultant’s fees are quoted separately and shared directly by their office after your consultation. These professional fees cover the time, expertise, and care provided by your consultant before, during, and after your treatment. See our full terms and conditions
Why choose The London Clinic?
Trusted for over 90 years, The London Clinic is an independent charitable hospital that reinvests into care, research, and support for those who can’t easily access private treatment.
The UK’s largest independent hospital
More patients choose The London Clinic than any other.
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Full intensive care on-site
World-class 13-bed ICU for expert support if your care becomes complex.
Investing in clinical excellence
Backed by Northwestern, we equip our teams with cutting-edge medical equipment.
0% Finance Options
We’ve teamed up with Chrysalis to offer you funding options that allow you to spread the cost of your treatment.
If you choose to pay for your treatment at The London Clinic over 12 months, you can make use of a great 0% interest option and pay nothing extra. Or you can choose to pay over two to five years at 14.9% APR.
Trustees of the London Clinic Ltd trading as The London Clinic is an Appointed Representative of Chrysalis Finance Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. The London Clinic is a credit broker, not a lender. The provider of a payment scheme which is not offered through or by Chrysalis Finance Limited may not be so authorised and regulated. Cancer treatments or transplants aren’t covered by finance packages. Finance options are only available for UK patients.