Ultrasound carotids (summary)
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
At the time the article was created Jeremy Jones had no recorded disclosures.
View Jeremy Jones's current disclosuresAt the time the article was last revised Daniel J Bell had no recorded disclosures.
View Daniel J Bell's current disclosures- US carotids
This is a basic article for medical students and other non-radiologists.
US (ultrasound) carotids is a standard test performed as part of the assessment of the cranial arterial blood supply.
Reference article
This is a summary article; we do not have a more in-depth reference article.
Summary
-
indications (acute)
- assessment of carotid stenosis
- important pathology
-
benefits
- dynamic investigation
- accurate and objective assessment of flow within the vessels
-
limitations
- operator-dependent
- there may be limited access depending on local availability
-
procedure
- patient positioned supine
- US Doppler examination of each carotid artery
-
similar tests
- CT angiogram
- contrast-enhanced CT of the neck
- reproducible anatomic assessment
- no dynamic flow assessment
- uses ionizing radiation
-
MR angiogram
- can be performed with or without contrast
- no ionizing radiation
- CT angiogram
Quiz questions
Question 2124
A patient without prior medical history was involved in a motor vehicle collision and arrives obtunded. The patient undergoes noncontrast CT of the head and cervical spine. At the acquisition scanner, you identify scattered convexal subarachnoid hemorrhage and fractures of the right petrous temporal bone, characterized as otic-capsule sparing, coursing to the sigmoid plate, and not clearly involving the petrous carotid canal on that side. Based on this information, which of the following imaging tests is the most appropriate next step?
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