Anatomically specific clinical examination of the carotid arterial tree

Clinical examination of the carotid arterial system has traditionally been used as a non-specific screening tool of atherosclerotic pathology. Because it has not yet been shown to delineate the precise location and grade of stenosis, further imaging modalities, such as duplex ultrasound, digital subtraction angiography, computed tomography and magnetic resonance, are currently used to obtain this information. These, however, have been shown to be susceptible to inaccuracies. Herein, a new protocol for bedside clinical examination that may define anatomical locality and degree of disease is presented. This consists of palpating the carotid pulse and auscultating for bruits along the course of the common carotid, internal carotid and external carotid arteries, as defined by surface anatomical landmarks from the lower neck to the pharynx. This protocol is not to replace more conventional methods of disease assessment but, in an era of diminishing clinical skills, may add to the overall evaluation of the pathological carotid tree.