Technologists perform examinations at the request or direction of a physician.
They principally rely on ultrasound to examine patients but must also incorporate the use of a wide variety of instrumentation for the detection of disease. Patients with significant vascular problems are often candidates for surgery and the skills of the vascular technologist are not only important for the initial diagnosis but also for evaluating the success of operation. Technologists usually work under the direction of a Vascular Surgeon or Vascular Medicine Specialist. They are most often employed by hospitals but are also employed by private freestanding laboratories or private industry. The tremendous growth in technology and the increasing trend toward noninvasive diagnostics have aroused the need for educated vascular technologists who possess good analytical and technical skills.