Asymptomatic Extracranial Vertebral Artery Disease in Patients with Internal Carotid Artery Stenosis.

Background: Extracranial vertebral artery disease is seen in patients with internal carotid artery stenosis, although the clinical significance is not well understood.

Objective: To determine the prevalence and natural history of extracranial vertebral artery disease in patients with recently symptomatic internal carotid artery stenosis.

Methods: We analyzed data collected for patients with recently symptomatic internal carotid artery stenosis in the Stent-Protected Angioplasty vs Carotid Endarterectomy trial.

Ex vivo characterization of carotid plaques by intravascular ultrasonography and virtual histology: concordance with real plaque pathomorphology.

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of carotid plaque characterisation by virtual histology using intravascular ultrasonography (VH-IVUS) by comparing the results with real morphology.

Methods: Following elective carotid endarterectomy (CEA), atherosclerotic plaques from 36 patients (19 asymptomatic, 17 symptomatic) underwent ex-vivo VH-IVUS examination. Afterwards, tissue specimens were fixed with formalin and embedded in paraffin.