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What Does This Ultrasound Report Indicate?

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Posted on Mon, 6 Feb 2017
Question: Hi- i was having an ultra sound of my right side carotid artery this week and the tech stopped the exam when she discovered the car. artery was completely covered/obscured by the thyroid gland. what does mean?
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Answered by Dr. Rini (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
Different anatomy !

Detailed Answer:
Hi ,
Firstly thanks for choosing health care magic for your query!

Before answering your question let me first explain to you the anatomy of right carotid artery.
The carotid arteries are major blood vessels in the neck that supply blood to the brain.There are two carotid arteries, one on the right and one on the left. In the neck, each carotid artery branches into two divisions: The internal carotid artery supplies blood to the brain.
The use of carotid doppler is to find any blockage in internal carotid artery which supplies the brain.In neck at approximately the level of the fourth cervical vertebra, the common carotid artery splits into an internal carotid artery and an external carotid artery . While both branches travel upward, the internal carotid takes a deeper , eventually travelling up into the skull to supply the brain. At the lower neck the two common carotid arteries are separated from each other by a very narrow interval which contains the trachea; but at the upper part, the thyroid gland, the larynx and pharynx separate the two arteries.This is the normal anatomical course of internal carotid artery.
In this the artery is seperated by throid gland but not overlapped by throid gland.
The principal of carotid doppler is that it throws ultrasonic waves on the artery and recieves back the waves again,but if the artery is fully covered by a gland or a muscle,the waves can neither reach the artery nor it can be reflected back,so result would be inaccurate in that case ;Thats why your technician terminated the test.

Advice
Carotid angiogram
In case you have any other query feel free to ask!
Note: For further inquiries on surgery procedure and its risks or complications book an appointment now

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Remy Koshy
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Answered by
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Dr. Rini

Cardiologist

Practicing since :2010

Answered : 140 Questions

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What Does This Ultrasound Report Indicate?

Brief Answer: Different anatomy ! Detailed Answer: Hi , Firstly thanks for choosing health care magic for your query! Before answering your question let me first explain to you the anatomy of right carotid artery. The carotid arteries are major blood vessels in the neck that supply blood to the brain.There are two carotid arteries, one on the right and one on the left. In the neck, each carotid artery branches into two divisions: The internal carotid artery supplies blood to the brain. The use of carotid doppler is to find any blockage in internal carotid artery which supplies the brain.In neck at approximately the level of the fourth cervical vertebra, the common carotid artery splits into an internal carotid artery and an external carotid artery . While both branches travel upward, the internal carotid takes a deeper , eventually travelling up into the skull to supply the brain. At the lower neck the two common carotid arteries are separated from each other by a very narrow interval which contains the trachea; but at the upper part, the thyroid gland, the larynx and pharynx separate the two arteries.This is the normal anatomical course of internal carotid artery. In this the artery is seperated by throid gland but not overlapped by throid gland. The principal of carotid doppler is that it throws ultrasonic waves on the artery and recieves back the waves again,but if the artery is fully covered by a gland or a muscle,the waves can neither reach the artery nor it can be reflected back,so result would be inaccurate in that case ;Thats why your technician terminated the test. Advice Carotid angiogram In case you have any other query feel free to ask!