Atherosclerosis
Atherosclerosis is the build-up of fatty plaques inside artery walls that narrow and stiffen the arteries over years.
When to get help quickly: Sudden chest pain, weakness or speech change, severe leg pain with a cold pale foot, or rapidly worsening symptoms suggest a clot or blocked artery and need urgent review.
Common symptoms
Early atherosclerosis is silent. Later, it can cause chest pain (heart arteries), leg pain on walking (leg arteries), TIAs or stroke (neck and brain arteries), or kidney problems, depending on which arteries are affected.
When imaging helps
Imaging shows where plaques are, how much they narrow the artery, and which parts of the body are at risk of reduced blood flow.
What radiology does
Ultrasound (carotids, legs) shows plaque and flow; CT and MR angiography map the arteries in detail; coronary CT angiography assesses the heart arteries.
What usually happens next
Treatment combines lifestyle change (stop smoking, exercise, diet), medications to lower cholesterol and control blood pressure, and procedures (angioplasty, stenting, bypass) for severe narrowing.
Seen this on your report?
Your doctor or the radiologist who wrote it can tell you what it means for you.
Related scan guides
- Leg Arterial Doppler (Peripheral Artery Disease)A leg arterial Doppler uses ultrasound to check the arteries that carry blood to your legs and feet. It is the standard test for peripheral artery disease (PAD), and it can identify narrowing or blockage before tissue is damaged.
- MRA (MR Angiography)An MRA (Magnetic Resonance Angiography) is a specialized MRI scan that focuses entirely on the blood vessels in your body. It is highly effective for investigating how blood flows and identifying potentially dangerous blockages or weak spots in the arteries.