title: Current strategies and possible perspectives of ultrasonic risk stratification of ischemic stroke in internal carotid artery disease.
abstract: Atherosclerotic alterations of the internal carotid artery frequently result in ischemic stroke. However, it remains unclear which specific factor mainly causes an increased risk of stroke. Constant improvements of the diagnostic possibilities of ultrasonic examinations provide increasingly profound insight into plaque alterations. If "risk plaque" could be reliably identified, the therapeutic decision for either medical or surgical treatment could be made more rationally. In this review, we summarize current developments in the ultrasound imaging of atherosclerotic changes in carotid artery disease with special emphasis on technical aspects and the rationale of contrast imaging of plaque vascularization. Methodological limitations and possible future applications are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Neurology, Knappschaftskrankenhaus, Ruhr University Bochum, and Vascular Surgery, St. Josef-Hospital, Bochum, Germany. eyding@web.de
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Eyding
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Geier
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Staub
mesh_terms: D002343:Carotid Artery, Internal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color / Q000379:methods; D014651:Vasa Vasorum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media