WHAT HAPPENS DURING A CAROTID ARTERY ULTRASOUND?
You
will be asked to lie down on an examination table. Your
technician will place a clear ultrasound gel on the area of your neck
where your carotid artery is located. The gel is a
lubricant that allows the transducer (a device that both emits and
detects ultrasound signals) to move around easily on your skin.
When
the transducer is placed against the skin, an image of the artery
appears on a video screen. To view the arteries from different
angles,
your technician will re-position the transducer several times.
Because blood is flowing through your arteries, a sound similiar
to your heartbeat will be heard. The procedure is then repeated
on the other side of the neck. This test is completely painless and will take approximately 7-9 minutes.
View of a Ultrasound Procedure
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HOW DOES CAROTID ARTERY ULTRASOUND WORK?
The
transducer emits high-frequency ultrasound waves that pass into the
body and bounce off of the carotid arteries and the red blood cells
moving through them. The sound waves are reflected
differently by other parts of the body. The transducer detects the reflections, which are then measured and
converted by a computer into live pictures of the arteries and blood
flow.
WHY DO PHYSICIANS USE CAROTID ARTERY ULTRASOUND?
Physicians
often use carotid artery ultrasound on patients who have had a stroke
or who might be at risk for a stroke. Narrowing of the carotid
arteries (often caused by cholesterol deposits) and blood clots can be
detected using this procedure. Reduced blood flow to the brain may lead to stroke.
Carotid
artery screening can detect serious problems early before symptoms are
present and when treatment is most sucessful.
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