Can carotid ultrasound be wrong?

In nearly 50 years of experience, carotid ultrasound has proved to be a risk-free procedure. False positive results can occur. The ultrasound test may produce results suggesting blockages when there are none.

What sound does a healthy carotid ultrasound make?

Your doctor may listen to your neck for a sound called a bruit (pronounced “broo-EE”). This whooshing sound is often heard when a carotid artery is narrowed. If your doctor thinks you may have stenosis, you will have a Doppler ultrasound. This test uses sound waves to show how blood flows through an artery or vein.

What does an ultrasound of the carotid artery show?

Carotid ultrasound is done to detect plaque buildup in one or both of the carotid arteries in the neck and to see whether the buildup is narrowing your carotid arteries and blocking blood flow to the brain. Test results will help your doctor plan treatment to remove the plaque and help prevent a stroke.

What do you need to know about a carotid ultrasound?

Your doctor may order a carotid ultrasound to: Evaluate blood flow through the artery after surgery to remove plaques (carotid endarterectomy) Evaluate the placement and effectiveness of a stent, a mesh tube used to improve blood flow through an artery

Is the elasticity of the carotid artery affected during pregnancy?

In the present study, we found that carotid artery elasticity decreased towards the end of the pregnancy and this was not correlating with the maternal hyperlipidemia or the diameter of the carotid artery. Furthermore, it was not mediated through pregnancy-related changes in endothelial function.

Can a stethoscope be used to detect a carotid artery?

Abnormal sound in carotid arteries (bruit), detected by your doctor using a stethoscope To screen for narrowed or blocked blood vessels in other areas of the body, you may need additional tests, including: Abdominal ultrasound. You may have an abdominal ultrasound to test for conditions affecting the blood vessels or organs in your abdominal area.

How is the carotid artery distensibility ( CAD ) calculated?

Carotid artery distensibility (CAD) measures the ability of the arteries to expand in response to the pulse pressure caused by cardiac contraction and relaxation and was calculated as: ( [systolic diameter – diastolic diameter]/diastolic diameter)/ (systolic blood pressure – diastolic blood pressure).