Overview of noninvasive vascular techniques in peripheral arterial disease

Abstract

Various noninvasive vascular diagnostic techniques have been described in the past four decades to help the clinician in the management of vascular patients. Although many physicians still rely entirely upon arteriography as the main tool for evaluation of peripheral arterial occlusive disease, the role of the vascular laboratory cannot be denied. These techniques should remain as a valuable adjunct to the information gained from the complete history and physical examination. Noninvasive vascular tests help the physician to evaluate the presence or absence of significant arterial occlusive disease, severity of disease, location of disease, and, in the presence of multisegmental disease, which arterial segment is mostly affected. © 2007 Springer-Verlag London Limited.