The vascular laboratory is the site of a variety of non-invasive tests used to measure blood flow to help diagnose vascular conditions such as peripheral artery disease (PAD), also known as peripheral vascular disease (PVD). The Peripheral Artery Disease Program offers specialized care to meet the individual needs of our patients. Medical College of Wisconsin physicians are highly skilled and experienced in performing state-of-the-art procedures to diagnose and treat all types of vascular problems, including complex cases.

Vascular Lab Tests Measure Blood Flow

Some of the more common tests patients experience in the vascular lab include:

Ankle Brachial Index (ABI)

An ABI is a simple, non-invasive, painless test that compares blood pressure readings in a person’s ankles with blood pressure readings in the arms. This involves placing a blood pressure monitor at the ankle and on the arm while a patient is at rest. The test can also be performed after walking on a treadmill to reproduce painful symptoms associated with walking (intermittent claudication). If a blockage is present, imaging (ultrasound or angiography) can be used to pinpoint the specific artery that is blocked.

Carotid Duplex Scan

This non-invasive vascular ultrasound test assesses the blood flow of the arteries that supply blood from the heart through the neck to the brain. “Duplex” refers to the fact that two modes of ultrasound are used – Doppler and B-mode. The B-mode transducer (like a microphone) obtains an image of the carotid artery being studied. The Doppler probe within the transducer evaluates the velocity and direction of blood flow in the vessel.

Extremity Arterial Mapping

Arterial mapping of the extremities uses non-invasive duplex ultrasound technology to examine blood flow in the arteries in the arms and legs. Lower extremity arterial mapping can help determine which blood vessels would be the best candidates for a bypass graft.

Treadmill Stress Test

This test is given while a patient walks on a treadmill to assess the heart during exercise.

Venous Duplex Ultrasound

Duplex ultrasound is a procedure that combines Doppler (high-frequency sound waves) flow and conventional ultrasound imaging to allow physicians to see the structure of blood vessels. Duplex ultrasound shows how blood is flowing through the vessels and measures the speed of the flow of blood. It can also estimate the diameter of a blood vessel and the amount and location of obstruction (if any) in a blood vessel. Aortoiliac duplex scanning helps evaluate abdominal aneurysm and other conditions.

Learn more about other heart and vascular diagnostic tests we offer.

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Our Cardiovascular Program continues to receive recognition as one of the top programs nationally. We are honored to provide high-quality, effective care for even the most high-risk patients.

  • The Froedtert & MCW health network has built a reputation for clinical excellence and our research draws patients from around the world. Our Heart & Vascular program recognitions include:

    • Premier recognized Froedtert Hospital in 2025 as one of the nation’s 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals® according to its independent quality analysis based on a balanced scorecard. The hospitals recognized in the top 50 operated at lower cost and had better outcomes, recording significantly higher inpatient survival rates, fewer patients with complications, lower readmission rates and up to nearly $7,000 less in total costs per patient case. Froedtert Hospital was ranked in the category of top teaching hospitals with a cardiovascular residency program. No other hospital in Wisconsin was recognized with this national distinction.
    • The International Cardio-Oncology Society (ICOS) recognizes our Cardio-Oncology Program as a gold level Cardio-Oncology Center of Excellence in 2025. ICOS certification is awarded to institutions and practices that demonstrate superior expertise in the care of patients who have heart disease, are at high risk or experience heart complications with cancer treatment. The ICOS awards bronze, silver and gold certification. Of the two ICOS-certified programs in Wisconsin, we are the only one that meets the stringent requirements needed to be recognized as a gold level Cardio-Oncology Center of Excellence.
    • Healthgrades recognized Froedtert Hospital in its 2024 Specialty Excellence Awards, including one of America’s 50 Best Hospitals for Cardiac Surgery, one of America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Cardiac Care and one of America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Coronary Intervention, as well as other specialty achievements in various areas.
    • Becker’s Hospital Review recognized Froedtert Hospital within its 2024 list of 100 Hospitals and Health Systems with Great Heart Programs. Hospitals featured on this list are renowned for delivering superior heart and vascular care that results in high-quality outcomes. As part of a health network that includes eastern Wisconsin’s only academic medical center, our heart and vascular specialists treat a high volume of patients with a wide variety of heart diseases.
    • The Society for Vascular Surgery's Vascular Quality Initiative (SVS VQI) recognized Froedert Hospital as a Carotid Care Quality Champion by the SVS VQI‘s clinical registry recognition program in 2024. The VQI recognizes select centers across the country as Carotid Care Quality Champions for their dedication to improving the safety and effectiveness of vascular care through participation and engagement in VQI’s carotid artery stenting and/or carotid endarterectomy registries.
    • The American Heart Association recognized Froedtert Hospital with the following awards that show our commitment to improving care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines and streamlining processes to ensure timely and proper care for heart attacks.
      • Get With the Guidelines® Heart Failure Gold Plus Award
      • Get With the Guidelines® — Coronary Artery Disease STEMI Receiving Gold Plus with Target: Type 2 Diabetes
      • Get With the Guidelines® — Coronary Artery Disease NSTEMI Gold with Target: Type 2 Diabetes
      • Get With the Guidelines® AFib Gold Award
      • Get With the Guidelines® — Resuscitation Target CPR; Resuscitation Gold — Audit; Resuscitation Target Survival
    • Froedtert Hospital earned the American Heart Association (AHA) Commitment to Quality award, a new AHA recognition, in 2025. The award recognizes adherence to the latest, research-based clinical guidelines to support better outcomes for patients.
    • In addition, the hospital was recognized on the American Heart Association’s Target: Heart Failure(SM) Honor Roll and received the AHA’s Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll™ award.

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