If it is, the patient is in danger of a major stroke. This is a whooshing sound caused by blood flow turbulence in the narrowed artery. A physician may be able to hear a bruit using a stethoscope. Occasionally, even a patient can hear the sound. The presence of a bruit, however, is not necessarily a sign of an impending stroke, nor does the absence of a bruit indicate an unblocked artery.
Carotid ultrasound is a very valuable tool for measuring the width of the artery.
At this time, ultrasound is most useful in people between the ages of 40 and 60 years. The blood pressure to the eye may also be measured. If blood flow to the eye is reduced, the physician estimates that the carotid artery is probably severely narrowed. Other Imaging Techniques. Other imaging techniques may be useful for identifying small clots of other indicators of risk in the brain.