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Doppler · Carotid arteries

Carotid Doppler Report: Stenosis Grading, Plaque, and Flow Findings

Hybrid AI + subspecialty radiologist intelligence. Reports in 20-30 minutes. Critical findings escalated immediately.

What is a Carotid Doppler?
Carotid Doppler ultrasound combines B-mode imaging with colour and spectral Doppler to assess the common, internal, and external carotid arteries — measuring stenosis severity, plaque morphology, and intima-media thickness without ionising radiation or contrast.
How long does a Carotid Doppler report take with 5C?
In India, 5C Network's hybrid intelligence workflow delivers structured Carotid Doppler reports in an average of 20 minutes, signed off by a vascular imaging specialist. Emergency cases are prioritised for 15-minute turnaround.
Get Carotid Doppler reads at your hospital Doppler reporting service

When is a Carotid Doppler ordered?

Ordered for stroke / TIA workup, carotid bruit on examination, dizziness or syncope, pre-operative assessment before cardiac or major vascular surgery, and surveillance of known carotid plaque or post-endarterectomy patients. It is also used in cardiovascular risk stratification when intima-media thickness measurement is requested.

Hybrid Intelligence

How 5C reads a Carotid Doppler

Every Carotid Doppler on the 5C network is read by AI and a board-certified radiologist — never one without the other. Here's the 4-step workflow.

1
~30 sec

Bionic AI pre-read

Bionic — 5C's radiology AI trained on 3+ billion medical images — pre-reads the doppler and flags findings for the radiologist's attention.

On this scan, Bionic flags:
  • intima-media thickness (IMT)
  • atherosclerotic plaque presence + morphology (soft, mixed, calcified)
  • stenosis grading by peak systolic velocity (NASCET / ECST criteria)
  • occlusion vs subtotal occlusion
  • reversed flow in vertebral artery (subclavian steal)
  • vertebral artery dominance / hypoplasia
  • carotid bulb tortuosity
  • dissection signs
2
Vascular imaging

Radiologist read

An NMC-registered vascular imaging specialist from 5C's 400+ radiologist network reviews every image, validates or corrects AI findings, and adds clinical context.

  • NMC-registered, medico-legally valid in India
  • Subspecialty-trained for carotid arteries
  • Available 24/7 across India time zones
3
NABH-aligned

QA & peer review

Critical and complex Carotid Doppler reads get a second-radiologist review. Random sampling across all reads supports continuous QA.

  • Double-reading on critical findings
  • Audit trail for medico-legal use
  • NABH-aligned escalation protocol
4
20 min avg

Structured report

Signed PDF report delivered to your PACS / RIS / email in an average of 20 minutes from the time of acquisition.

  • Structured findings + impression
  • 15-minute SLA for emergencies
  • Critical-finding phone escalation

What's in a 5C Carotid Doppler report

A standard 5C Carotid Doppler report is structured to be readable by the referring clinician, the hospital admin reviewing TAT, and any auditor checking NABH compliance.

1

Clinical history

Indication (stroke / TIA, bruit, pre-op, surveillance), vascular risk factors, prior carotid intervention, and current symptoms.

2

Technique

Bilateral evaluation of common (CCA), internal (ICA), and external (ECA) carotid arteries and vertebral arteries with B-mode, colour, and spectral Doppler. Probe frequency and any technical limitations are noted.

3

Intima-media thickness and plaque

IMT measurement at the distal CCA bilaterally, plus location, length, surface, and echotexture of any plaque (soft, mixed, calcified, ulcerated).

4

Stenosis grading

Stenosis percentage is reported by NASCET criteria with peak systolic velocity (PSV) values for each segment. End-diastolic velocity (EDV) and ICA / CCA ratio are documented to support the grading.

5

Vertebral artery assessment

Vertebral artery flow direction, dominance, and any evidence of subclavian steal physiology or hypoplasia.

6

Impression

Side-by-side summary of stenosis grade, plaque morphology, and overall vascular status, with comparison to any prior carotid Doppler when available.

7

Recommendations and critical-finding escalation

Suggested follow-up (interval surveillance, CT / MR angiography, vascular surgery referral). High-grade or near-occlusive disease is flagged for immediate phone-call escalation.

Carotid Doppler reads, across India

5C Network reports Carotid Doppler studies for 1,500+ hospitals and diagnostic centres across India — Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Pune, Ahmedabad, Kochi, Coimbatore, Jaipur, Lucknow, and 13 more tier-2 / tier-3 cities. NMC-registered, NABH-aligned, medico-legally valid.

See all coverage locations

Frequently asked questions

How long does a carotid Doppler report take?
A 5C Network carotid Doppler report is typically delivered in around 20 minutes from the time images reach our platform. Reads are performed by NMC-registered vascular-imaging radiologists with AI-assisted IMT measurement and stenosis grading. High-grade or near-occlusive disease is escalated by phone.

What stenosis percentage is significant?
In general, ICA stenosis of 50-69% is considered moderate and 70-99% is considered severe by NASCET criteria, with severe stenosis usually triggering vascular surgery / interventional consultation in symptomatic patients. Velocity thresholds and ICA / CCA ratios are also used. Management decisions sit with the treating clinician — 5C provides the imaging assessment.

Do I need a carotid Doppler before cardiac surgery?
Carotid Doppler is commonly ordered before major cardiac or vascular surgery (especially CABG) to identify significant carotid stenosis that may influence operative planning and peri-operative stroke risk. The exact indication and threshold for further action sit with the cardiac and vascular surgical team — 5C provides the structured Doppler report.

Can 5C report carotid Doppler 24/7?
Yes. 5C Network operates round-the-clock across India with a network of 400+ radiologists, including vascular-imaging-trained specialists, reading more than 10,000 scans daily for 1,500+ hospitals and centres. Carotid Doppler studies are reported with the same hybrid AI + radiologist workflow at any hour.

Is the report medico-legally valid?
Yes. Every carotid Doppler report is signed by an NMC-registered radiologist and follows a NABH-aligned workflow with QA and an audit trail. The signed report is medico-legally valid for use in Indian hospitals, vascular clinics, and diagnostic centres.

Does the report follow NASCET or ECST criteria?
NASCET is used as the default stenosis-grading framework, supported by peak systolic velocity (PSV), end-diastolic velocity (EDV), and ICA / CCA ratio. ECST-style grading can be reported on request from the referring centre. The criteria used are stated explicitly in every report.

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Integrate 5C Carotid Doppler reads at your hospital

20-minute average turnaround. AI + radiologist + QA on every read. NMC-registered, NABH-aligned, medico-legally valid in India. Pay-per-scan — no salary or locum commitments.

Talk to 5C Network Doppler reporting overview