Atherosclerosis can be visualized using a process called angiography. While this is one of the better methods for assessing atherosclerosis, it’s not usually used for routine screening since it’s invasive.[1] Other less invasive methods can be used to assess atherosclerosis, including coronary calcium scans that measure calcium buildup inside heart arteries (less invasive, but involves radiation exposure) and the ankle-brachial test (noninvasive; mainly relates to atherosclerosis in the peripheral arteries, but atherosclerosis in the periphery is correlated with atherosclerosis elsewhere in the body[1]), as well as ultrasonography.[2]
Atherosclerosis is usually symptomless until it starts causing other atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases like coronary artery disease.[3]