Multi-parameter ultrasound examination of the carotid artery

The article was professionally consulted by Specialist Doctor I Tran Cong Trinh - Radiologist - Radiology Department - Vinmec Central Park International General Hospital. The doctor has many years of experience in the field of diagnostic imaging.

Diseases related to the carotid artery such as carotid atherosclerosis, cerebrovascular accident... are the group of diseases with the second highest risk of death after cardiovascular diseases worldwide. Therefore, in diagnosis and treatment monitoring, multi-parameter ultrasound for carotid artery assessment is considered an effective aid in this field.

The carotid artery is a large artery in the body, associated with a number of dangerous medical conditions such as: carotid atherosclerosis, fibromuscular dysplasia, Takayasu's arteritis, carotid aneurysms or dissection. scene. The structure of the extracranial carotid artery includes the internal carotid artery, the external carotid artery, and the common carotid artery. Besides, some nearby anatomical organizations are basilar artery, vertebral artery, subclavian artery and aortic arch.
The carotid artery performs an extremely important function in the body that is a source of oxygenated blood to nourish the brain activities, so if the carotid artery is damaged, it will cause abnormalities. often different in the body in some other organ. Among the diseases related to carotid artery damage, cerebrovascular accident due to carotid atherosclerosis is a very common case in clinical practice, accounting for about 25% - 30%, especially for patients with coronary artery disease. Elderly patients, which can lead to death, should be examined, detected and treated promptly.

Multi-parameter ultrasound assessment of the carotid artery is a subclinical method that works on the principle of using reflected sound waves to record images similar to the vascular system in the patient's neck. Multi-parameter ultrasound is often very effective in detecting plaques that exist within the lumen of the carotid arteries, these plaques may be the result of a buildup of certain substances such as cholesterol or calcium that cause damage. resulting in vascular stenosis. As a result, the blood flow to the brain through the carotid artery will be obstructed, preventing blood from reaching the brain, causing a cerebrovascular accident and possibly leading to sudden death. Multi-parameter ultrasound assessment of the carotid artery can detect this problem early, so that doctors can intervene or treat it medically in the early stages to save the patient's life. .
Indications for patients to need to perform multi-parameter ultrasound to evaluate carotid arteries are:
Patients who have ever had a mild or severe cerebrovascular accident; When examining the patient's clinical examination, he hears a carotid murmur, thinking more about carotid occlusion and the possibility that the patient will have a stroke; The patient has signs of suspicion of carotid artery dissection and the blood supply to the brain is affected; Patients who have undergone vascular surgery such as aortic surgery, carotid artery surgery, coronary artery bypass surgery or possibly also peripheral vascular surgery; Patients with stroke risk prevention also need multi-parameter carotid ultrasound assessment, especially in patients older than 70 years of age with some chronic medical conditions such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension. , dyslipidemia or atherosclerotic plaque.

For the multi-parameter ultrasound assessment of the carotid artery, there is almost no preparation for the patient before the procedure and this method can be performed at any time necessary for diagnosis and treatment. Some advice for patients when preparing for an ultrasound is to wear comfortable clothes and avoid wearing many accessories to make the ultrasound process faster and more convenient.
Multi-parameter ultrasound does not limit the patient's age, both young and old people can perform ultrasound if there are any unusual health problems related to carotid artery damage. The time of ultrasound assessment of the carotid artery is quite fast, lasts about 15-30 minutes and is not invasive to the patient's body, so it is always the first choice of treating doctors.
The patient's sonographic position is supine with the head tilted to the opposite side of the carotid artery to be examined, which means that if the patient is evaluating the right carotid artery, the head should be tilted to the left and vice versa. again. The person performing multiparameter carotid ultrasound will usually be a vascular surgeon or a physician with expertise and experience in the field of imaging. Patients will be applied a layer of gel directly to the neck area to be investigated with the aim of helping the penetration of ultrasound waves higher, recording images will be clearer and more detailed. The head that emits ultrasound waves will be moved over the neck during the ultrasound to record all images of the carotid artery at the site of investigation. 2D ultrasound will be applied first, then color Doppler ultrasound, and finally pulse Doppler to determine a number of factors such as flow, wave spectrum, velocity as well as impedance of the common carotid artery, behavior carotid artery, extracranial internal carotid artery, external carotid artery as well as vertebral artery.
Through the results of multi-parameter ultrasound assessment of the carotid artery, it is possible to find carotid atherosclerotic plaques with causes from a number of diseases such as hyperlipidemia, blood cholesterol... that need to be treated. these conditions first, or if more severe, vascular surgery is indicated to remove atherosclerotic plaques.

Multi-parameter carotid ultrasound is a modern imaging tool that is easy to perform, safe and has very high value in the diagnosis and monitoring and treatment of carotid artery diseases. Therefore, when there are any signs of suspected carotid artery disease, the patient should immediately go to a medical facility to perform carotid evaluation.
Currently, Vinmec International General Hospital is fully equipped with modern ultrasound equipment to help multi-parameter ultrasound survey the carotid artery accurately. The system of modern ultrasound, color Doppler, and pulse Doppler machines, which are completely imported from abroad, helps to bring clear images, effectively supporting the diagnosis of doctors. The technicians are all experienced and highly qualified in the field of diagnostic imaging, trained regularly and continuously, so they can easily diagnose strange and rare diseases accurately.
If there is a need for multi-parameter carotid ultrasound at Vinmec, please book an appointment directly at the website right away or contact the hotline for detailed advice.