Expect to lie on your back with your head turned slightly, while a technologist applies warm gel and moves a probe along each side of your neck. It is painless, involves no injection or radiation, and you can drive yourself home afterwards.
Expect to lie on your back with your head turned slightly, while a technologist applies warm gel and moves a probe along each side of your neck. It is painless, involves no injection or radiation, and you can drive yourself home afterwards.
You lie on your back on an examination couch, usually with a pillow shaped to support your neck, and your head turned gently away from the side being examined. The technologist applies gel, which is generally warmed, and moves a handheld probe along the side of your neck. You will hear a pulsing or whooshing sound, which is the Doppler signal representing blood flow and is entirely expected. Each side is examined in turn. You may be asked to hold still or turn your head slightly at various points.
You feel the pressure of the probe and the coolness or warmth of the gel, and nothing else. Nothing is injected, there is no radiation, and no sedation is used. Some people find lying with the head turned uncomfortable if they have neck problems or arthritis, and that is worth mentioning at the start rather than enduring it, because the position can usually be adjusted. If you have difficulty lying flat because of breathing or back problems, say so when you book.
The gel is wiped off and you can leave immediately, drive yourself and return to work. The technologist will not usually interpret the study for you, and that is appropriate rather than unhelpful: the report goes to the neurologist who ordered it and is discussed at a follow-up, because the same degree of narrowing means different things depending on whether you have had symptoms. This study is performed at an imaging facility, since these offices have no imaging suite; transcranial Doppler is performed on site.
Clinical Neurology Specialists has been physician-owned since 1998, when Leo Germin, M.D., FAANEM founded it. Five board-certified neurologists and four advanced practice providers see patients at the Las Vegas and Henderson offices, each with its own AANEM-accredited electrodiagnostic laboratory.
Clinical Neurology Specialists is an adult outpatient neurology practice for patients 18 and older. The practice performs no surgery and operates no imaging suite, infusion suite or interventional pain programme, and provides no emergency or inpatient care.
MRI, CT, carotid ultrasound and lumbar puncture are not performed at these offices. They are arranged at an imaging centre or hospital, and the report is reviewed with you by the neurologist who ordered it.
Physician-reviewed. Reviewed by the physicians of Clinical Neurology Specialists — board-certified neurologists, AANEM-accredited electrodiagnostic laboratories, physician-owned since 1998. Reviewed 1 August 2026. This article is general education for adults 18 and older and is not a substitute for a consultation.
Sources and further reading: MedlinePlus: carotid artery disease; National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke; MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine.
Adults 18 and older, at the Las Vegas and Henderson offices. Call 702-804-1212 or request an appointment online.