Color-Doppler sonography vs CT-angiography in discriminating carotid atherosclerotic plaques for surgical treatment. A prospective study.

Purpose: To compare the diagnostic accuracy of colour-Doppler sonography and CT-angiography in the selection of extracranial stenosis of the internal carotid artery to be treated with either endarterectomy or percutaneous transluminal angioplasty.

Materials And Methods: A total of 35 atherosclerotic plaques in 20 patients were studied with colour-Doppler sonography and CT-angiography (technical parameters: 2 mm raw thickness; 3.5 helical pitch; 2 mm image thickness; 1 mm reconstruction interval; non ionic contrast medium; Iodine concentration: 400 mg/ml, injection rate 5 ml/sec; Sure Start).