NONINVASIVE EVALUATION OF THE LOWER-EXTREMITY ARTERIAL TREE AND GRAFT SURVEILLANCE

Continued technological advances have increased the clinical application of noninvasive imaging and flow measurements in the diagnosis and management of lower extremity vascular disease. The prevalence of managed care and other cost constraints requires that these tests are applied judiciously to provide adequate surveillance of threatened grafts without unduly increasing costs. This article provides an overview of the advantages and disadvantages of noninvasive studies and outlines the currently recommended indications for use.