Ovarian Veins Duplex

Ovarian veins are blood vessels that carry oxygen-poor blood from the pelvic region to the heart for purification. The one-way direction of flow is controlled by a valve at the top of each ovarian vein. The valves may get damaged due to excess pressure placed by the growing foetus during pregnancy and may lead to the formation of varicose veins (enlarged and twisted veins) in the legs along with other pelvic-related symptoms. These faulty veins can be examined with the help of ovarian venous duplex ultrasound. The procedure uses sound waves to produce images of the ovarian veins. Duplex ultrasound is a process which combines regular ultrasound (produces images of the organs) and Doppler ultrasound (produces images of blood flow through the blood vessels) to view abnormalities in the blood vessels that affect the flow of blood.

The ovarian duplex ultrasound procedure takes about 15 to 20 minutes. Prior to the procedure you will be advised to fast and refrain from smoking the previous night. Your doctor will ask you to lie on the table and apply a gel to help transmit the sound waves. A transducer is moved across your lower abdomen and groin region. These produce images that are examined by your doctor for any damage in the veins.