Vascular diagnostics traditionally rely on x-ray angiography. This approach remains even today essential in the clinical work-up of patients with vascular pathology. Recently, however, newer imaging modalities have been intro duced to assess vascular disease. Among these the color Doppler flow and magnetic resonance imaging appear the most promising. Due to their noninva sive character both methods are ideally suited for screening as well as serial follow-up of vascular patients. The emergence of color Doppler flow and magnetic resonance vascular imaging coincides with new concepts in vascular medicine. Today, vascular prevention and percutaneous interventions are becoming the leading compo nents in modern vascular care. It is in this new and exciting environment of novel vascular concepts where the demand for reliable noninvasive vascular imaging is becoming a high priority. Color Doppler flow and magnetic reso nance vascular imaging are well on the way to satisfy this demand. This textbook provides the long awaited information on vascular imaging by color Doppler flow and magnetic resonance. The text covers the essentials of vascular anatomy, physiology and noninvasive imaging technology before providing a state-of-the-art review of their current clinical applications. All chapters are written by competent scientists and clinicians in a clear, conscise and yet thorough and exhaustive manner. The coherent and didactic composi tion of the textbook allows the reader an easy access to the elementary as well as the advanced principals and clinical applications of the modern noninvasive vascular imaging.
