A vascular check-up is a targeted assessment of the arteries and veins in people who have risk factors but no symptoms yet. It is not a general health screen and it is not for everyone: the point is to find narrowing or dilatation while it is still silent, in the specific groups where that is worth looking for. Offered by Prof. Dr. Yusuf Kalko in Istanbul, Turkey.

In short: history and pulse examination, ankle–brachial index, and Doppler scanning of the neck arteries, the abdominal aorta and the leg vessels where indicated — none of it painful, none of it involving radiation or contrast dye. What matters most is who is scanned: screening people with no symptoms and no risk factors is not supported by evidence and mainly produces findings that lead nowhere.

If you would like a figure before that conversation, the 10-year cardiovascular risk calculator produces one from six readings — and sets out plainly what it cannot see.

Who it is for

Diabetes, particularly of long duration, or with any loss of sensation in the feet,
Smoking now or in the past — the single strongest modifiable factor in artery disease,
High blood pressure or high cholesterol, especially if poorly controlled,
Known atherosclerosis somewhere else — coronary disease, or narrowing in the leg arteries. The disease is systemic, not local,
A first-degree relative with an aortic aneurysm, and men between 65 and 75 who have ever smoked, for whom a single abdominal ultrasound is widely recommended,
A previous vascular procedure — surveillance is part of the treatment, not an optional extra,
Chronic kidney disease or dialysis, where vessel calcification is common.

Who it is not for

This deserves to be said plainly, because it is usually left out. Scanning a person with no symptoms and no risk factors is not supported by the evidence: the yield is low, and borderline findings can lead to repeated tests and interventions that would never have been needed. A check-up is a decision based on your risk profile, not a product that everyone should buy into. And if you already have symptoms, this is not a check-up at all — it is an urgent assessment, and the pathway is different.

If any of these are already present, do not book a routine check-up — seek assessment now: cramping calf pain that appears after a set distance; pain in the foot at rest, especially at night; a foot wound that will not heal; sudden weakness in a limb, slurred speech or brief loss of vision in one eye; a leg that becomes suddenly cold, pale and painful. The last of these is an emergency.

What the assessment includes

Test	What it looks for	Why it matters
History and pulse examination	Pulses at the groin, knee, ankle and foot; skin temperature and colour; sensation in the feet	Needs no equipment and still decides most of what follows
Ankle–brachial index	The ratio of ankle to arm blood pressure	The standard first measure for peripheral artery disease; painless, no radiation
Toe pressure	Pressure at the toe rather than the ankle	Essential in diabetes and kidney disease, where calcified vessels give a falsely high ankle reading that hides real disease
Carotid Doppler	Plaque and narrowing in the neck arteries	The most treatable single cause of stroke; see carotid artery disease
Abdominal aorta ultrasound	The diameter of the aorta	An aortic aneurysm grows silently; a single scan can change the outcome
Venous Doppler	Reflux in the leg veins, performed standing	Where there is heaviness or swelling — see venous insufficiency
Blood tests	Lipids, blood sugar and HbA1c, kidney function	The modifiable factors behind the findings above

Not every item applies to every person; the combination is chosen from your risk profile and the examination.

All of the imaging above is colour Doppler ultrasound — no radiation, no contrast dye, and repeatable as often as needed.

What happens with the result

Result	What usually follows
Normal	Risk-factor control and a repeat at an interval set by your risk, not a lifetime clearance
Borderline	Tighter control of blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar, stopping smoking, and a shorter follow-up interval
Abnormal but without symptoms	Medical treatment and surveillance in most cases. An abnormal scan is not in itself a reason for an intervention
Abnormal with symptoms you had not connected	A full assessment of that problem, which is no longer a check-up

The most common outcome of a genuinely useful check-up is a treatment plan without a procedure.

How often should it be repeated?

No risk factors and a normal result: no routine repeat is needed.
Risk factors, normal result: an interval agreed with your doctor, typically measured in years rather than months.
Diabetes with loss of protective sensation: foot assessment far more often — see diabetic foot for the risk-based intervals.
A small aortic aneurysm under surveillance: the interval is set by its diameter and how fast it is growing.
After a vascular procedure: on the schedule your surgeon sets; this is what detects re-narrowing early.

What a vascular check-up cannot do

It is not a cardiac assessment. It does not replace an exercise test or cardiology review for chest symptoms.
It does not cover non-vascular screening such as cancer screening programmes.
A normal result today is not a permanent one. Atherosclerosis develops over years; what it rules out is disease now.
It cannot replace what you do next. Stopping smoking and controlling blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar change the outcome far more than any scan does.

Why Choose Turkey (Istanbul)?

Experienced vascular surgery with open, catheter-based and hybrid techniques in one centre,
Non-invasive assessment first — pulse examination, ankle–brachial index and Doppler before any decision,
English-language correspondence for international patients,
Pre-travel remote review of your reports, then an examination on arrival in Istanbul.

How to Start From Abroad (Remote Consultation)

Send your medical reports and imaging for an initial review before travelling. If a check-up is what you are asking about, say which risk factors apply to you and send any previous scans or blood results. The practical sequence — what to send, what can and cannot be decided remotely, and what determines the length of stay — is set out on the contact page.

Frequently Asked Questions

I have no symptoms. Is a check-up worth it?

It depends entirely on your risk profile. With diabetes, a smoking history, high blood pressure or cholesterol, a family history of aortic aneurysm, or known artery disease elsewhere, there is a real chance of finding something while it is still silent and treatable. With none of those, routine scanning is not supported by the evidence and tends to generate findings that lead nowhere.

Does it involve radiation or injections?

No. The assessment is based on clinical examination, pressure measurements and ultrasound. There is no ionising radiation and no contrast dye, which is also why it can be repeated. CT or MR angiography is added only when an intervention is being planned or when ultrasound cannot answer the question.

My ankle–brachial index was normal but I have diabetes. Is that reassuring?

Not on its own. Long-standing diabetes calcifies the leg arteries so they resist compression, and the ankle reading can come out normal or high despite genuine narrowing. In that situation toe pressure and Doppler imaging are relied on instead of the ankle figure.

Do I need to prepare or fast?

Only for the abdominal aorta scan, where fasting beforehand improves the view. The other parts need no preparation. Do not stop any of your medicines for the appointment.

How long does it take?

Typically one visit for the examination and pressure measurements plus the relevant ultrasound studies, though blood tests and any additional imaging may fall on another day. For patients travelling from abroad it is worth allowing more than a single day in the schedule.

If something is found, does it mean surgery?

Usually not. Most findings in people without symptoms are managed with medication, risk-factor control and surveillance. An intervention is considered when a narrowing is severe and symptomatic, when an aneurysm reaches its threshold diameter, or when disease is progressing on repeated scans.

I live abroad. Can the assessment be arranged before I travel?

Previous reports and scans can be reviewed remotely to decide which tests are missing and to give a rough idea of what the visit involves. A definitive plan still needs an examination, so it is worth arranging the assessment before booking flights rather than afterwards — the contact page explains what to send.

References

This content is for information purposes only and does not replace a medical consultation. Diagnosis and treatment require an in-person examination.