The Jobst Vascular Laboratory provides over 18,000 inpatient and outpatient examinations per year and is approved by the Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Vascular Laboratories (ICAVL). The JVC laboratory has a long record of major research activity that has produced many publications and multiple scientific achievement awards at national meetings.

For a large number of vascular conditions, the noninvasive diagnostic laboratory provides sufficient information for clinical decision-making and documentation of patient outcomes. Therefore the vascular surgeon must be well trained in all aspects of it.

Although formal credentialing of the trainee's experience in the performance and interpretation of noninvasive tests currently is not required by the Association of Program Directors in Vascular Surgery, a growing number of trainees voluntarily are seeking Registered Vascular Technologist certification offered by the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers. Upon completion of the JVC Fellowship program, residents will have the appropriate skills and knowledge to qualify for the RVT certification examination.  Residents are encouraged to take this examination prior to completion of their vascular residency program. 

General components of training

Each trainee has a designated three-month rotation during which his or her primary activity is dedicated to formal vascular laboratory training.  The combination of three elements constitutes the fundamentals of vascular laboratory training at JVC:

1. Hands-on operation of equipment followed by proctored clinical testing

2. Supervised test interpretation

3. Study of classical papers and texts, current literature and papers from the Jobst Vascular Center on laboratory testing

These are supplemented by opportunities to conduct vascular laboratory research, instruction in statistical theory and methods and case presentations of vascular laboratory findings at conferences.  Vascular laboratory training is integral to daily activity when residents are rotating on clinical services, and they participate in vascular laboratory interpretation with attending vascular surgeons on each of them, thus ensuring a diverse experience. 

At the appropriate time in their training, residents are provided time and financial support to sit for the RVT examination.

Diagnostic testing methods used at JVC and included in training are:

• Carotid peak-systolic and end-diastolic velocities and velocity ratios

• Carotid B-mode and color flow imaging

• Lower extremity arterial physiologic testing including exercise testing

• Lower extremity arterial imaging

• Upper extremity arterial imaging

• Aorta and its branches

• Lower extremity venous physiologic testing

• Lower extremity imaging for deep venous thrombosis

• Lower extremity imaging for chronic venous insufficiency

• Lower and upper extremity venous imaging for arterial revascularization

• Upper extremity venous physiologic testing

• Upper extremity venous imaging for venous thrombosis

• Dialysis access physiologic testing

• Dialysis access imaging

• Bypass graft surveillance

• Air plethysmography

• Transcutaneous PO₂ testing

Formal seminars in vascular laboratory equipment principals, rheology and vascular physiology and ultrasound physics are conducted.  Progress in these essentials for vascular laboratory technologist certification is monitored by periodic inservice testing.

Additional subjects included in the vascular laboratory curriculum are vascular laboratory management, Medicare laboratory guidelines, use of CPT and ICD-9 codes, billing procedures, and ICAVL accreditation.