How is carotid artery disease diagnosed?
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 (stenosis).
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. You also may have a CT angiogram or a magnetic resonance angiogram (MRA).
Routine tests for carotid artery disease are not recommended for everyone. Experts recommend them only for people who have symptoms.
Some companies sell ultrasound screening at shopping malls or other places. But insurance doesn't pay for these tests because they are not recommended by experts. Plus, your doctor isn't involved in prescribing the test. So he or she isn't there to explain the results to you. It's a good idea to talk to your doctor before having one of these tests.
