Carotid Doppler
A focused scan for Carotid arteries, Blood flow, Plaque.
Overview
Examines Carotid arteries, Blood flow, Plaque. Performed at an NABL-accredited Meridian Health centre with a same-day report and a free doctor review.
The full panel
3 areas across 1 groupEvery parameter, grouped by body system — no clicking to expand.
What this scan measures
The carotid and vertebral arteries in the neck, using ultrasound to see the vessel wall and Doppler to measure the speed and direction of blood flowing through it. It reports the intima-media thickness, the presence, extent and character of any plaque, and the peak systolic velocity from which the degree of narrowing is estimated.
It is the standard first test after a stroke or transient ischaemic attack, because significant narrowing at the carotid bifurcation is a treatable cause of stroke. It is also used to investigate a bruit heard in the neck and, in some risk-assessment settings, to look for early atherosclerosis before symptoms appear.
Symptoms that lead to this scan
- Sudden temporary weakness, numbness or speech difficulty
- Temporary loss of vision in one eye
- A bruit heard over the neck on examination
- After a stroke or transient ischaemic attack
- Cardiovascular risk assessment in people with multiple risk factors
Understanding your results
Narrowing is graded from the flow velocities rather than measured directly, and the grade determines management: mild disease is generally treated with medication and risk-factor control, while severe narrowing in someone who has had symptoms may be considered for surgery or stenting. Plaque character matters as well as its size — an irregular or ulcerated plaque carries different implications from a smooth one. An increased intima-media thickness is a marker of early atherosclerosis rather than a disease in itself, and is interpreted alongside your lipids, blood pressure and smoking history.
Indicative only. Reference ranges vary between laboratories and between testing methods, and shift with age, sex and pregnancy — always read your own result against the range printed on your own report, with the doctor who ordered it.
| Parameter | Indicative range | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Carotid intima-media thickness | Below about 0.9 (age-dependent) | mm |
| Internal carotid peak systolic velocity | Below about 125 suggests no significant stenosis | cm/s |
Why the preparation matters
No fasting and no preparation. Wear a top with an open neck and leave necklaces at home — the probe needs continuous contact from the collarbone to the angle of the jaw. You will lie with your head turned to each side in turn; tell the sonographer if turning your neck causes dizziness or pain, since the position can be modified.
Ultrasound — safety and who should not be scanned
Full Ultrasound guideUltrasound uses sound waves, not radiation, and there is no known harmful effect at diagnostic settings — it is the only cross-sectional modality used freely in pregnancy and repeatedly in children. Operators still follow the ALARA principle, using the lowest output for the shortest time needed, particularly in obstetric scanning. There is nothing to recover from and no restriction afterwards. The main limitation is not safety but operator dependence: the quality of an ultrasound depends heavily on the person holding the probe.
- No absolute contraindications
- There is no medical reason ultrasound cannot be performed on anyone, at any age, including in pregnancy. The limitations below are about image quality and consent rather than harm.
- Open wounds, burns or dressings over the area
- The probe needs direct contact with skin through gel, so a recent surgical wound, a burn, an ulcer or a plaster cast over the region may make the scan impossible or require it to be deferred until the dressing can be removed.
- Bowel gas and body habitus
- Sound does not travel through gas, so gas-filled bowel can obscure the pancreas, aorta and pelvic organs, and depth reduces resolution in larger patients. Fasting and a full bladder are used to improve the window; where the view remains inadequate, a CT or MRI is recommended instead.
- Transvaginal or transrectal scanning requires consent
- Internal probes give far better resolution of the pelvis, but they are always optional. They are not used without explicit consent, and a transabdominal approach is offered instead — including where an internal scan would be inappropriate.
- Not a substitute for mammography in screening
- Ultrasound complements mammography rather than replacing it: it cannot reliably show the microcalcifications that mammography detects. For symptomatic assessment in younger women it is the correct first test; for population screening it is not.
- Fetal sex determination is illegal in India
- Under the PCPNDT Act, no person or centre may disclose the sex of a fetus at any stage, and no request for it will be entertained. This applies to every obstetric scan and does not affect any other part of the examination or its report.
Who should consider this scan
- Anyone who has had a stroke or transient ischaemic attack
- People with a neck bruit found on examination
- Adults with multiple cardiovascular risk factors
- Patients before major cardiac surgery, where indicated
- Anyone with known carotid plaque under surveillance
Conditions it helps detect
How it works
Patient stories
96% recommend“The phlebotomist arrived exactly on time and was gentle. My report came in five hours with a doctor’s note.”
“Booked at night, sample collected next morning. The parameter breakdown is genuinely thorough.”
“Loved the free doctor review — she walked me through my vitamin D and thyroid results clearly.”