Benefits and Risks- Carotid Ultrasound

Benefits

• Carotid ultrasound exam is noninvasive and painless.
• Carotid ultrasound exam is extremely safe and does not use any ionizing radiation.
• Ultrasound scanning gives a clear picture of soft tissues that do not show up well on x-ray images.
• If a SMIL radiologist discovers narrowing of one or both carotid arteries, treatment can be taken to restore free flow of blood to the brain.
• Many strokes are prevented as a result of carotid ultrasound.

Risks

• For standard diagnostic ultrasound, there are no known harmful effects on humans.
• Carotid ultrasound has proven to be a risk-free procedure.