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Carotid Artery Ultrasound Screening
An important risk factor for stroke is the narrowing of the carotid artery, which supplies the majority of blood flow to the brain. People with carotid artery disease are at a higher risk of stroke. Carotid artery disease is characterized by carotid stenosis, or narrowing of the carotid artery. This narrowing is generally made up of a substance called plaque which accumulates inside the artery decreasing its diameter. The danger with this accumulation of plaque is that over time pieces can break off, travel up toward the brain, and lodge in a smaller branch of the artery causing a stroke.
Many people who experience a TIA are found during screening to have carotid artery disease.
An ultrasound is currently the best available screening study used for identifying carotid artery narrowing. The test is non-invasive, painless and uses sound waves to image the arteries in order to assess the degree of narrowing.
