Duplex arteriography for lower extremity revascularization.

Duplex arteriography may be a potential replacement of preoperative standard contrast arteriography for peripheral arterial imaging in lower extremity revascularization procedures. In patients with chronic or acute ischemia, a well-performed duplex arteriography offers several practical advantages over contrast arteriography: it is noninvasive; it does not require nephrotoxic agents; it is portable and can be done expeditiously; color flow and waveform analysis provide a better estimation of the hemodynamic significance of occlusive disease; it allows direct visualization of the entire artery and not only of the lumen thus enabling plaque characterization; with color flow and power Doppler techniques, it is possible to identify patent arteries subjected to very low flow states; and it can detect occluded arterial aneurysms thereby avoiding unnecessary attempts at thromboembolectomies. High-quality arterial ultrasonography performed by a highly skilled and well-trained vascular technologist may represent an alternative to conventional arteriography for patients in need of primary or secondary lower extremity revascularization.