How Long Does an ABI (Ankle-Brachial Index) Test Take: Old versus New Technologies

In this video, you will find out how long does an ABI (Ankle-Brachial Index) test take. The video will also address briefly the benefits of new versus older technologies.

How long does an ABI test take? it depends which technology is used to perform the test, up to 30 minutes with traditional ABI machines or just 5 minutes with the Quantaflo system from Semler Scientific.

What is a ABI test? It’s a vascular study conducted to identify the signs of Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) in patients.

The test relies on the comparison between blood circulation in the arms and legs to monitor any irregularities.

PAD is a condition caused by plaque build-up in the peripheral arteries, and it leads to obstruction in blood flow that can result in claudication, chronic leg pain, sores or even gangrene formation, among other problems.

It is crucial to get ABI tests periodically to detect PAD in its early stages and intervene soon enough to prevent severe outcomes.

There is a wide variety of ABI equipment available in the market.
With conventional equipment such as an ABI Doppler machine, it can take a trained vascular specialist anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes to perform an ABI test.

In some cases, the patient might even be instructed to practice some relaxation techniques before the test is administered.

First, the doctor wraps four blood pressure cuffs around the patient’s thighs and arms. The cuffs are then inflated to measure the ankle and brachial blood pressures.

The cuffs have been reported to cause some discomfort in many patients.

Getting the results can take considerable time since the calculation has to be performed manually by the vascular technician.

Many aspects of medical care continue to advance and PAD testing is no exception. The new generation of PAD testing technology is less cumbersome, faster, easier to operate and more accurate than previous methods.

The Quantaflo system is an example of such advancements. This PAD testing system comprises a laptop or tablet equipped with software and a small sensor that is attached to the patient’s fingers and toes. The system takes blood flow readings and automatically performs the calculations to provide the results. This usually only takes about five minutes.

The Quantaflo system is preferred over conventional ABI testing for early PAD detection since it is much simpler to use, takes less time and without the discomfort of cuffs and lengthy waiting time.