CAROTID ARTERY ATHEROSCLEROTIC DISEASE IN SYMPTOMATIC PATIENTS: DOPPLER STUDY

Abstract

ABSTRACTBackground and Objectives : Stroke is one of the leading causes of death, which is knownto be due to unstable plaques in the carotid vessels or stenosis of the carotid arteries , todetect carotid atherosclerosis in symptomatic patients with risk factors noninvasively usingcarotid Doppler ultrasonography .Patients and Methods: A total of 66 patients, including 40 males and 26 females, agedbetween 37 and 89 years were assessed by carotid ultrasound, using grey scale, color, duplexand power Doppler. The stenosis, if present, was graded and characterized in detail in each ofthe enrolled patients.Results: Grade 1 stenosis was the most common type followed by grade 2; while type 2plaques were the most frequent , followed by type 4 .Conclusions: Carotid Doppler is a valuable and non-invasive method for detecting carotidarterial stenosis, by providing valuable information about the plaques, their morphology, aswell as the degree of stenosis.