Carotid Doppler machine
A carotid Doppler machine is a device which can be used to measure blood flow velocities within the cervical carotid arteries, as well as the vertebral arteries and sometimes the subclavian arteries by means of non-invasive ultrasonic scanning in which the Doppler effect is utilized. This can be useful for estimating the effects of atherosclerotic disease on the lumen in late stages; specifically the level of compromise in blood flow caused by reduction in arterial lumen diameter.
These are the same ultrasound machine used in obstetric ultrasonography to evaluate the fetus in pregnant women: they have high frequency probes used specifically for the purpose of imaging arteries and veins in full details and are equipped with color Doppler, pulsed wave and continuous wave doppler scans and collectively give good information about disease status of these arteries and veins.
Using B-mode scanning (imaging) and very careful technique, the same ultrasound machine can also be used to measure the arterial wall thickening within segments of the carotid arteries non-invasively. This can be useful for detecting and tracking atherosclerotic disease in early stages. This has been used in clinical research since the early 1990s and is occasionally used by some clinicians.
References
- Delmar's Guide to Laboratory and Diagnostic Tests. Rick Daniels. Edition 2, illustrated. Cengage Learning, 2009. ISBN 1-4180-2067-2, ISBN 978-1-4180-2067-5. Page 194.