9 Weeks Pregnant: What to Expect from Your Ultrasound Scan
December 12, 2024
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Your carotid arteries are essential blood vessels that run along both sides of your neck, supplying oxygen-rich blood to your brain. Keeping these arteries healthy is crucial for maintaining proper blood flow and preventing serious conditions like strokes. A carotid ultrasound is a safe, painless, and non-invasive method used to assess the health of these arteries and measure their blood flow.
In this article, we’ll explore everything you need to know about carotid ultrasounds, from why they might be recommended to how to prepare, what the procedure involves, and how to access and interpret your results.
A carotid ultrasound is a non-invasive imaging technique that uses sound waves to assess the health and blood flow of your carotid arteries, which are crucial for supplying oxygenated blood to your neck, head, face, and brain. These arteries, located on both sides of your neck, extend from your heart to the top of your skull, making their proper function essential for preventing serious conditions like strokes. By measuring blood flow performance, this ultrasound can help identify potential blockages or narrowing, ensuring early detection of issues that could affect your overall health.
Your doctor might refer you for a carotid ultrasound to check the blood flow through your carotid arteries, or to investigate the thickness of your carotid artery walls.
Blood clots, cholesterol deposits and fats can build up on the vessel walls of your carotid arteries. This buildup, called plaque, can limit or even block blood flow to your brain. Blocked carotid arteries can cause strokes.
You also might be sent for a carotid ultrasound to monitor recovery after surgery or treatment on a blocked or narrowed carotid artery.
A carotid artery Doppler ultrasound is used to detect any blockages in the veins
A carotid ultrasound is primarily used to detect blockages or narrowing in the carotid arteries, conditions that can lead to stroke or transient ischemic attacks (TIAs). A TIA is a temporary event that produces stroke-like symptoms, such as paralysis or slurred speech, which generally resolve within 24 hours but may signal a higher risk of future strokes.
You also might be sent for a carotid ultrasound before surgery on a blocked or narrowed artery, or to monitor recovery after surgery or treatment. A doctor might refer you for a carotid artery ultrasound if you have a health condition that might increase your risk of stroke or TIA, such as:
In the ultrasound scanning room, you will lie on your back on an exam table. The ultrasound technician, a sonographer, will apply a conductive water-based gel to both sides of your neck and then run the transducer through it against your skin. The transducer emits high-frequency sound waves into your internal structures. Those sound waves bounce back off your soft tissues, creating echoes collected by the ultrasound machine and compiled into live images to view in real-time on a monitor. Ultrasound images can also be captured as stills.
Depending on your specific circumstances, your carotid artery may require a Doppler ultrasound, a specialized ultrasound test that measures how well blood flows through blood vessels. A Doppler ultrasound produces graphs of blood flow rather than images. Still, the general procedure is the same: the sonographer runs a sound wave emitting transducer over the surface of your skin. You can hear the rise and fall of Doppler sound waves – that’s the Doppler effect.
A carotid duplex ultrasound involves two transducers, one of which emits high-frequency sound waves and the other of which emits Doppler sound waves, to more thoroughly explore blood flow and blood vessel health.
A carotid ultrasound is a non-invasive external imaging test which does not require extensive preparation. When preparing for a carotid artery ultrasound:
The sonographer might move your head or neck for more visibility. The gel might be cool, and you will feel the transducer move along your skin, but there should be no pain. The procedure will likely take between 30-45 minutes.
The ultrasound technician is not allowed to discuss the results of your carotid ultrasound with you. They will forward the images and/or Doppler graphs to a radiologist for interpretation.
The radiologist will analyze your results and then send both the images and a detailed report to your referring physician. The physician will discuss the results with you at a follow-up appointment. This process can take anywhere from a few days to more than a week.
You can use PocketHealth to gain secure, early access to your carotid ultrasound results, often as soon as the radiologist releases them.
Radiologists are doctors with specialized experience and training in ultrasound image interpretation. They analyze and evaluate your images and prepare a detailed report for your referring doctor.
The more you understand your results, the more control you have over your health journey. My Care Navigator gives you immediate insight into your carotid ultrasound report, highlighting any follow-up recommendations and providing personalized questions to guide your discussion with your doctor. This empowers you to be proactive in your care.
Your carotid ultrasound report will indicate if there are any blockages in your carotid arteries, expressed as a percentage. The report may also include abbreviations, colors, graphs, and numerical data that can seem overwhelming.
PocketHealth Report Reader offers simplified explanations of medical terms in your report. By clicking or tapping on the underlined terms, you’ll receive clear, easy-to-understand definitions, making your results more accessible and easier to comprehend.
A carotid ultrasound checks for blockages in your carotid arteries. A normal result means that your carotid arteries are neither blocked nor narrowed and that you have normal blood flow.
An abnormal result indicates that your carotid arteries have blockages. Reasons for an abnormal result may include:
If the blockage is less than 60% and you have shown no signs of stroke or TIA, your doctor may suggest measures to improve your diet and exercise. A healthy diet can prevent blood clots, reduce plaque buildup, and lower stroke risk. Quitting smoking and reducing alcohol intake is also highly recommended. You may also get a prescription for medications to reduce blood pressure or cholesterol, or to dissolve blood clots.
If your blockage is more than 60%, or at 50% but with signs of stroke, you may be referred for a surgical procedure, such as:
You may also be referred for additional tests to gather more information. The follow up exams might include a CTA (a specialized computed tomography angiogram), magnetic resonance angiography (an MRI angiogram) or further ultrasounds such as a contrast enhanced ultrasound or 3D ultrasound.
There should be no side effects with a carotid ultrasound, as it is a safe and non-invasive imaging procedure. You can resume your normal activities following a carotid artery ultrasound.
Not everyone experiences the same symptoms, but some warning signs include blurry vision and/or dizziness, especially when accompanied by sudden confusion, lack of balance or mobility issues.
The chances of having a carotid blockage increase with age. You should discuss your risks with your physician.
Your carotid arteries supply much-needed blood to the brain. If there’s a chance your carotid arteries are blocked or narrowed, you’ll want to know as soon as possible so you can make the lifestyle changes needed to lower your stroke risk.
With fast, easy access to your images and reports and personalized insights about your results, PocketHealth enables you to be confident and prepared when discussing treatment plans with your healthcare team.
