Evaluation of ultrasonography in detecting atherosclerosis of carotid

Using a two-dimensional ultrasonography, observations were made on the carotid in a group of 250 patients with cerebral infarction, arteriosclerosis, hypertension, coronary heart disease, diabetes and transient cerebral ischemia, from whom 144 cases (57.6%) of carotid lesions were found. In a control group of 50 normal subjects, carotid lesions were observed in 8 (16%). There was a significant difference between the two groups (P<0.01). In fact, atherosclerosis accompanying cerebral infarction is the most frequent (98%) and the detection rate of arteriosclerosis increases with age seen in all the above diseases. The acoustic features of carotid lesions presented mainly as strong plaquelike echoes on between the endangium and vessel lumen, tunica media and adventitia, and between the adventitia of the internal and external carotid, which revealed diffused, localized or calcified changes projecting or protruding to the lumen and thus narrowed the lumen. There existed the possibility of cerebrovascular accident, if the lesions proliferated or exfoliated. Ultrasonography is an effective, non-invasive and economical procedure in evaluating cardio-cerebrovascular diseases.