Allen Test

Excerpt

The Allen test is a technique used to evaluate collateral blood flow to the hand, specifically assessing for the presence of a complete palmar arch formed by the radial and ulnar arteries. This procedure was first described in 1929 by Dr Edgar Van Nuys Allen—a Mayo Clinic professor specializing in peripheral vascular disease.

A revised version of the Allen test, known as the modified Allen test (MAT), was subsequently developed by Dr Irving Wright in 1952. Unlike the original Allen test, the MAT assesses each hand individually and can evaluate either radial or ulnar arterial flow, thereby making it the preferred method.