Increased carotid wall thickening after radiotherapy on the neck.

Patients treated for head and neck tumours with local radiotherapy (RT) on the neck harbour an increased risk of stroke. This may be due to accelerated atherosclerotic changes within the RT-field; however, the real impact of local RT on the carotid artery remains debatable. The aim of the present study was to assess the difference in carotid wall thickness (intima-media thickness) in 42 unilaterally irradiated parotid tumour patients by performing B-mode ultrasonography.