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Pulse Volume Recording in the Diagnosis of Peripheral Vascular Disease

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Noninvasive Vascular Diagnosis

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Abstract

Since its introduction in 1972, the measurement of pulse volume recordings (PVR) has become an integral part of vascular laboratory diagnostic testing. The PVR measurements are often the 1st vascular test performed on a patient with suspected peripheral arterial disease (PAD) of the upper or lower extremities. In contrast to duplex ultrasonography, which provides anatomic and hemodynamic information of extremity artery blood flow, the PVR is a functional, indirect physiologic exam that allows the clinician to correlate a patient’s symptoms with direct measurements of arterial pressure at different levels of the extremity. PVR test results can direct medical treatment, additional noninvasive testing, or angiographic-directed intervention. The instrumentation involved in measuring PVRs is straightforward, as is its interpretation for the diagnosis and classification of PAD. This chapter provides an overview on the indications for obtaining PVR studies, as well as a primer for study interpretation.

Prepared for inclusion in Noninvasive Vascular Diagnosis 5th ed., AF AbuRahma & BA Perler eds

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Rebecca Sorber

  2. Department of Surgery, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA

    Jose I. Almeida

  3. Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School and The University of Miami, Homestead, FL, USA

    Jeffrey K. Raines

  4. The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Christopher J. Abularrage

Authors
  1. Rebecca Sorber
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  2. Jose I. Almeida
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  3. Jeffrey K. Raines
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  4. Christopher J. Abularrage
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Christopher J. Abularrage .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, West Virginia University, Charleston, WV, USA

    Ali F. AbuRahma

  2. Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA

    Bruce A. Perler

Section Editor information

  1. Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Sulpizio Cardiovascular Center, University of California – San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, USA

    Dennis F. Bandyk

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Sorber, R., Almeida, J.I., Raines, J.K., Abularrage, C.J. (2021). Pulse Volume Recording in the Diagnosis of Peripheral Vascular Disease. In: AbuRahma, A.F., Perler, B.A. (eds) Noninvasive Vascular Diagnosis. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-49616-6_23-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-49616-6_23-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-49616-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-49616-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference MedicineReference Module Medicine

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