Other types of Doppler ultrasound only provide the color picture, but not the greyscale image.Transcranial doppler ultrasound (TCD) is a safe, non-invasive way of investigating the circulation in your head.

A duplex ultrasound test will provide a color picture that shows blood flow, as well as a two-dimensional greyscale ultrasound image of the tissues. Duplex Ultrasoundĭuplex ultrasound combines 2-Dimensional (B-mode) and Doppler ultrasound modes. Power Doppler is also known as “angio”, which is short for ultrasound angiography.

This power Doppler technology makes it possible to access certain images that would’ve been impossible to get with traditional types of Doppler ultrasound. Most professionals use power Doppler to look at blood flow through vessels that are inside solid organs. Power Doppler is a type of color Doppler. Pulsed wave Doppler presents information as both an audio signal and in a video and hard copy format. Unlike other types of Doppler ultrasound, this option does not show speed or direction. This system sends out short pulses of ultrasound waves and analyzes reflected sound waves between pulses. Pulsed wave Doppler shows the power or amplitude of sound signals rather than a shift in frequency. Continuous wave Doppler is not site-specific, but it can measure high velocities. This technology is also known as “bedside” Doppler because it can be accomplished with a portable machine at the patient’s beside. To do this, a continuous wave Doppler has a transducer with two crystals, one dedicated to sending echoes, and the other to receiving them. Continuous Wave DopplerĬontinuous wave Doppler uses continuous transmission and reception of ultrasound waves. Many practices utilize color flow Doppler for a variety of vascular studies. This color encoded display creates a visual of the speed and direction of blood flow through the vessel. These colors are overlaid onto the image of the blood vessel. Color Flow DopplerĬolor flow Doppler converts Doppler pulses into colors. Here are the 5 types of Doppler ultrasound: 1.

This movement is captured and shown in a visual format that is easy to comprehend.īy finding the velocity of a patient’s blood flow, healthcare professionals can assess the condition of arteries, blood vessels, veins, and more. The transducer emits high-frequency sound waves that bounce off of circulating red blood cells. Types of Doppler Ultrasoundĭoppler ultrasound tests are non-invasive, risk-free examinations that provide an inside look at a patient’s blood flow. Learn more about the different types of Doppler ultrasound below. This technology can be used for a wide variety of applications that range across an entire spectrum of healthcare specialties. All of the various types of Doppler ultrasound use this principle because they all detect movement in tissues and bodily fluids by monitoring the changing frequency of sound waves.ĭoppler ultrasound offers a quick, non-invasive way to study the heart and blood vessels. All of them operate in conjunction with the Doppler effect, which refers to the way wave frequency responds as the wave source moves towards or away from an object or person.įor instance, when an object producing sound moves towards you, the frequency of the sound waves increases, resulting in a higher-pitched sound. Each of the five types of Doppler ultrasound has different capabilities.