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.