Carotid Doppler scanning is a diagnostic method that utilizes ultrasound scanning to assess the blood flow through the carotid arteries, the major arteries supplying the neck and head. This scanning technique is employed to investigate specific conditions, including carotid artery stenosis (narrowing of the artery), transient ischemic attacks, and strokes, which can be attributed to the narrowing of the common carotid arteries and their branches.
During a carotid Doppler scan, an ultrasound transducer is gently moved over both sides of the neck in the region of the carotid arteries. The transducer emits ultrasound waves that bounce off the moving blood cells and the walls of the blood vessels, generating an image displayed on a screen. This visual representation allows for the identification of any narrowing in the arteries or turbulence in blood flow.