How Is Carotid Artery Disease Diagnosed?
Your doctor will diagnose carotid artery disease
based on your medical history and the results from a physical exam and tests.
Medical History
Your doctor will find out whether you have any of
the major risk factors for carotid artery
disease. He or she also will ask whether you’ve had any
signs or symptoms of a
mini-stroke or
stroke.
Physical Exam
To check your carotid arteries, your doctor will
listen to them with a stethoscope. He or she will listen for a whooshing sound
called a bruit. This sound may indicate changed or reduced blood flow due to
plaque. To find out more, your doctor may order tests.
Diagnostic Tests
The following tests are common for diagnosing
carotid artery disease. If you have symptoms of a mini-stroke or stroke, your
doctor may use other tests as well.
Carotid Ultrasound
Carotid
ultrasound (also called sonography) is the most common test for diagnosing
carotid artery disease. It’s a painless, harmless test that uses sound
waves to create pictures of the insides of your carotid arteries. This test can
show whether plaque has narrowed your carotid arteries and how narrow they are.
A standard carotid ultrasound shows the structure of
your carotid arteries. A Doppler carotid ultrasound shows how blood moves
through your blood vessels.
Carotid Angiography
Carotid angiography (an-jee-OG-ra-fee) is a special type of x
ray. This test may be used if the ultrasound results are unclear or don’t
give your doctor enough information.
For this test, your doctor will inject a special
substance (called contrast dye) into a vein, most often in your leg. The dye
travels to your carotid arteries and highlights them on x-ray pictures.
Magnetic Resonance Angiography
Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) uses a large magnet and
radio waves to take pictures of your carotid arteries. Your doctor can see
these pictures on a computer screen.
For this test, your doctor may give you contrast dye
to highlight your carotid arteries on the pictures.
Computed Tomography Angiography
Computed tomography (to-MOG-rah-fee), or CT, angiography takes
x-ray pictures of the body from many angles. A computer combines the pictures
into two- and three-dimensional images.
For this test, your doctor may give you contrast dye
to highlight your carotid arteries on the pictures. |