Baseline Medical

Carotid Artery Screening Procedure

A carotid artery screening also known as a duplex scan is an abbreviated vascular ultrasound study

done to assess the blood flow and wall structure of the arteries in the neck that supply blood from the

heart to the face and brain. There are six carotid arteries - three on each side: the common carotid

artery CCA, which divides and form the internal carotid artery ICA and the external carotid artery ECA is shaped much like the letter "Y".

The screening is noninvasive and the term "duplex" refers to the fact that two modes of ultrasound are used -

Doppler and B-mode. The Doppler portion evaluates the velocity and direction of blood flow to indicate

stroke risk and the B-mode obtains the image of the intima and media wall thickness IMT for heart disease risk.

Baseline Medical performs these quick screenings at their 2 locations or onsite at health fairs.