METHODS, SYSTEMS, DEVICES AND COMPONENTS FOR RAPID ON-SITE MEASUREMENT, CHARACTERIZATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF A PATIENT'S CAROTID ARTERY USING A PORTABLE ULTRASOUND PROBE OR DEVICE

Described and disclosed herein are various embodiments of methods and systems configured to rapidly measure, analyze and provide, in for example an on-site and out-patient setting within a short period of time, one or more physical parameters associated with a one or more of a patient's carotid arteries. Some embodiments comprise at least one computing device, at least one portable handheld ultrasound device or probe operably connected to the at least one computing device, the portable handheld ultrasound device being configured to provide to the computing device as outputs therefrom a series of ultrasound image frames acquired from the one or more of the patient's carotid arteries, and a display or monitor operably connected to the at least one computing device and configured to visually display to a user results generated by the at least one computing device. Among other things, the ultrasound image frames are processed to guide a clinician in accurately, quickly and efficiently placing the ultrasound probe on the patient's neck and body so that the physical characteristics of a patient's carotid arteries can be detected and measured.