Finding the right tests…
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Emergency services available 24 x 7
Finding the right tests…
Sonography
DOPPLER BOTH LIMB VENOUS checks the deep veins of both arms or both legs for a blood clot in the same visit, rather than looking at just one side. Comparing both limbs helps your doctor see whether a clot is confined to one leg or whether both need attention, which matters because deep vein thrombosis doesn't always stay one-sided. This is the venous counterpart to the both-limb arterial scan: this one looks at blood returning from the limbs through the veins, not blood supply through the arteries. Doctors order the both-limb version when symptoms appear in both limbs, or when a clot found on one side raises concern about the other.
The scan checks whether the deep veins in both limbs compress fully under probe pressure and whether flow through them looks normal, at matched points on each side. A vein that resists compression on either side points to a possible clot at that spot.
A blood clot in a deep vein, known as deep vein thrombosis or DVT, carries a real risk: part of it can break away and travel to the lungs, a complication called pulmonary embolism. Checking both limbs in the same sitting matters because a clot found on one side doesn't rule out a problem developing on the other, especially when the underlying risk, such as recent surgery or prolonged immobility, affects the whole body rather than one leg.
The sonographer presses the probe against the vein at intervals down each limb. A vein free of clot collapses flat under that pressure; one carrying a clot resists collapsing. This compression test is repeated at matched points on both limbs, with color and flow signals adding further detail.
Your doctor orders this version when symptoms involve both limbs, or when there's reason to check the unaffected side alongside the symptomatic one. If only one limb needs checking, a narrower single-limb venous version of this scan is available instead.
That's one reason doctors sometimes extend a venous Doppler to both limbs even when only one side seems affected.
A clot on one side doesn't rule out a developing problem on the other, especially when the underlying risk, like recent surgery or immobility, affects your whole body rather than one leg. Checking both sides in one visit covers that possibility.
The sonographer presses the probe against each vein in turn. A healthy vein collapses flat under that pressure; a vein with a clot inside resists collapsing, which is what the scan is looking for.
Part of a deep vein clot can break loose and travel to the lungs, a serious complication called pulmonary embolism. Finding a clot early, in either limb, lets your doctor start treatment sooner.
This page is general information about the test, not medical advice. Your own report's reference ranges apply — please discuss your results with your doctor.
Yes. This scan checks the veins carrying blood back toward your heart in both limbs, looking for a clot. The arterial version checks the arteries carrying blood into the limbs, looking for narrowing, a different question.
Yes, if your doctor has a specific reason, such as recent surgery or a clot already found on one side. About half of people with a deep vein clot don't have obvious symptoms.
It can feel like firm pressure as the probe moves down each limb, but it isn't usually painful. Let the sonographer know if a spot feels tender.
There's no single preparation instruction that applies to every patient. Ask your doctor or the centre what they'd like you to do beforehand.