Vascular ultrasound is used to image blood vessels and measure blood flow throughout the body. It is used to detect signficantly narrowed or blocked arteries such as in the carotid arteries (which may cause a stroke) and the renal (kidney) arteries (which may cause high blood pressure).

It can also be used to detect early signs of cholesterol build up (carotid intima media thickness scannng, CIMT).