When it comes to treating your legs, the surgeon’s hands are only as good as the eyes that guide them. In the world of phlebology (the study of vein disease), those “eyes” are the ultrasound machine.
As we continue our series on how to evaluate a vein center, Dr. Bruce Stein and the team at Vanishing Veins want to pull back the curtain on the single most important diagnostic tool in our arsenal. Many centers claim to be the best, but the truth is often hidden in how they conduct their imaging. Under the leadership of Dr. Lori Greenwald, a board-certified vascular surgeon named by Money Magazine as one of the Northeast’s Top Surgeons and a Diplomate of the American College of Phlebology, we believe that excellence starts with the data.
Why Ultrasound is the “X-Ray” of Vein Care
Imagine an orthopedic surgeon trying to repair a shattered knee without ever looking at an X-ray or MRI. It sounds absurd, right? The same logic applies to vein care. While a physical exam can show us bulging varicose veins or skin discoloration, a phlebologist needs to see the “plumbing” beneath the surface to make an accurate diagnosis.
Ultrasound is the non-invasive test we use to visualize your anatomy and measure the speed and direction of your blood flow. Without a high-quality ultrasound, a doctor is essentially guessing.
The Dangers of Inaccurate Data
Not all leg symptoms require a procedure. Furthermore, not every patient needs the same procedure. A poor ultrasound can lead to two dangerous outcomes:
- Over-treatment: As we’ve discussed in previous articles, if a technician makes you stand for an hour, they can “force” a healthy vein to look diseased, leading to unnecessary surgery.
- Under-treatment: If a technician misses the “source” of the reflux (the point where the valve is failing), your procedure will fail, and your varicose veins will return within months.
To make sure you are getting an honest and accurate evaluation, you must look for these three hallmarks of a professional vascular laboratory.
1. The Specialist vs. The “Jack of All Trades”
The first question you should ask is: “Does the ultrasound technician focus exclusively on vein disease?”
In many multi-specialty clinics or general radiology centers, the technician is a “generalist.” One hour they are performing a gallbladder scan, the next a pregnancy ultrasound, and the next they are looking at your leg veins. While they are talented individuals, they lack the “vascular eyes” required for phlebology.
The Vanishing Veins Standard
At Vanishing Veins, our technicians aren’t “carpenters trying to fix a car.” They are vein specialists in Springfield. They understand the subtle nuances of venous anatomy; the way a vein compresses, how it reacts to a calf squeeze, and how to identify rare anatomical variations that a generalist would miss. This specialization is what allows Dr. Greenwald to create a surgical plan that is precise and effective.
2. ICAVL Accreditation: The Gold Standard of Excellence
You wouldn’t eat at a restaurant that failed its health inspection, so why get a medical test at a lab that hasn’t been verified? You should always ask: “Is this ultrasound lab accredited by the ICAVL?”
The Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Vascular Laboratories (ICAVL) is the most prestigious governing body for vascular imaging. Obtaining this accreditation is a grueling process that many “vein mills” simply cannot pass.
What ICAVL Accreditation Proves:
- Rigorous Review: The lab must submit actual cases to be reviewed by a panel of independent experts.
- Accuracy Tracking: The lab must prove they have a low rate of “false positives” and “false negatives.”
- Standardized Protocols: It makes sure the lab follows the strict standing-protocol (not the fraudulent “lying down” method) to guarantee results are medically sound.
Vanishing Veins is proud to maintain an accredited laboratory. It is our way of proving to our patients, and to insurance companies, that our data is the “God’s honest truth.”
3. The RVT Credential: Why It Matters
Finally, look for the letters RVT after your technician’s name. This stands for Registered Vascular Technologist.
The RVT designation is much more than a certificate of attendance. To earn it, a technologist must have performed thousands of vascular examinations and passed a rigorous physics and clinical examination with a notoriously high failure rate.
An RVT is trained to understand the hemodynamics (the physics of blood flow) of your legs. They aren’t just taking pictures; they are interpreting the “why” behind your pain. If an office hesitates to tell you if their staff is RVT-certified, that is a major red flag. You can verify a registrant’s status at the ARDMS directory.
Beyond Diagnostics: Our Advanced Treatment Services
Once an accurate ultrasound from our accredited lab confirms your diagnosis, we offer the most advanced treatments available, customized specifically to your results. Because Dr. Greenwald is a board-certified vascular surgeon (named one of America’s Top Surgeons by the Consumer Research Council of America), you have access to a full spectrum of care:
- Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA): A gentle, heat-based treatment to seal diseased veins with minimal bruising.
- VenaSeal™: An innovative “medical glue” that often requires only one numbing site and no post-procedure compression stockings.
- Sclerotherapy: Both cosmetic and medical applications to eliminate spider veins and “feeder” vessels.
- Microphlebectomy: A surgical art form where Dr. Greenwald removes bulging veins through microscopic “stitch-less” incisions.
Don’t Be Afraid to Ask Tough Questions
Choosing a vein center in New Britain is a major health decision. You aren’t just a customer; you are a patient. If a center cannot provide you with a board-certified surgeon, an RVT-certified technician, and an ICAVL-accredited lab, you should move on.
We treat you with the empathy you deserve and the technical precision your health requires. We invite you to ask us the tough questions, and we are proud of our answers. Contact us today to take the first step for your vein health.
This post was updated 2/19/26.
