Which action is part of the compression technique during carotid assessment?

• A. Hold 2-4 cardiac cycles
• B. Move to a different artery immediately
• C. Increase pressure for 20 seconds
• D. Apply no pressure

Answer: (A)

Brief compression of the carotid during duplex assessment is a controlled maneuver to verify you’re imaging the correct vessel and to observe how flow responds over a few heartbeats. You apply gentle pressure with the transducer on the neck over the artery and hold for about 2-4 cardiac cycles. This short occlusion moment helps confirm the vessel identity by producing a temporary change in the Doppler signal, reduces confusion from nearby structures, and allows you to time the waveform sampling with the cardiac cycle for more accurate measurements. Prolonged pressure or skipping the compression step would not achieve these benefits and could pose risk, while moving to another artery mid-scan would interrupt the exam.