Abstract
It is important to determine the circulatory condition of the lower limbs when treating foot necrosis or ulcers caused by diabetes or peripheral arterial disease. Among the various methods used to estimate lower limb blood flow, vascular ultrasonography is capable of evaluating stenosis and obstruction in a minimally invasive manner. Although there are some problems with this technique, e.g., the results of such evaluations can vary depending on the experience and skill of the examiner, and screening of the bilateral lower limbs takes time, it has been introduced in many institutions because it is less stressful for patients compared with the other invasive procedures used to visualize the microcirculation and is very useful for evaluating blood flow in patients with lower limb ulcers. Furthermore, ultrasonography provides both morphological and functional hemodynamic information about the vasculature in real time. This article describes the efficacy of ultrasonography for estimating lower limb circulation and the techniques used to perform such examinations.
