Although carotid duplex ultrasound is a safe method to test the arteries and can be administered to every person of every sex and age, doctors only choose to use this method to test patients with risk for the following diseases:
- Paralysis or paresis.
These patients are the first group that doctors will administer carotid duplex ultrasound to test for causes of diseases of the carotid artery diseases such as stenosis, obstruction or rupture, which cause for there to be insufficient blood supply to the brain. Their early symptoms include loss of balance, slurred speech, dizziness, double vision or severe headache.
In severe cases, the patient might experience hemiparesis, weaknesses of the limbs and temporary blindness in one eye along with speech difficulty or inability to find words or incoherent speech. These are signs of carotid artery abnormalities. Therefore, this test should be administered as a preliminary assessment.
- Patients with history of hypertension, hyperlipidemia and diabetes.
These three diseases are associated with the development of blood clots and fat accumulation directly on the arterial walls. Therefore, they are at greater risk of stroke. Moreover, in patients who have prior history of arterial surgery, who have relatives with the aforementioned diseases or who have symptoms that doctors deem to be related to brain function, doctors will administer carotid duplex ultrasound to also determine the likelihood of disease.
- Patients undergoing treatment related to the carotid arteries.
In patients who are undergoing treatment for diseases related to the carotid arteries, doctors will use carotid duplex ultrasound to help in making a diagnosis and to monitor the condition of the carotid arteries while the patient is undergoing treatment in the intensive care unit. This is because this method is convenient for both doctors and patients while being less expensive than magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
- Patients whose carotid arteries produce a carotid bruit
If a doctor discovers a carotid bruit which is a whooshing sound hearing through a stethoscope when listening to blood flow in your neck regardless of whether or not there are signs of stroke, given that the abnormal sounds at the carotid arteries are possible indicators of abnormalities of the carotid arteries, the doctor will administer carotid duplex ultrasound in order to clearly identify the cause of the sound to jointly seek appropriate treatment guidelines.
