title: Atherosclerotic aortic arch plaques in acute ischemic stroke.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Atherosclerotic aortic arch plaques (AAP) have been linked to an increased risk of thrombo-embolic events as a cause of acute ischemic stroke of undetermined etiology.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To find out the presence of atherosclerotic plaques in aortic arch and their potential role as a source of embolism in cerebral infarction of undetermined etiology.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed trans-esophageal echocardiography (TEE) and multislice computerized tomography (MSCT) of the aortic arch on 30 patients with acute ischemic stroke of undetermined cause from a total series of 150 non-selected patients with acute ischemic stroke studied prospectively by clinical evaluation, laboratory investigations, cranial computed tomography, color coded duplex ultrasonography of the carotid arteries and transcranial Doppler (TCD).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Using trans-esophageal echocardiography eight patients (29.6%) had atherosclerotic aortic arch plaques, while using multislice computerized tomography atherosclerotic aortic arch plaques were revealed in twelve patients (40%). Atherosclerotic aortic arch plaques were significantly related to older age, male gender, hypertension, ischemic heart disease and low-grade atherosclerotic carotid lesions. Multislice computerized tomography of the aortic arch was more sensitive than trans-esophageal echocardiography in detecting the site, size and characters of atherosclerotic aortic arch plaques.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Atherosclerotic aortic arch plaques are a frequent finding in patients with acute ischemic stroke of undetermined cause supporting the hypothesis that aortic plaques have embolic potential. In addition, multislice computerized tomography is more sensitive than trans-esophageal echocardiography in detecting atherosclerotic aortic arch plaques and better characterization of these plaques especially relevant one.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Neurology, Cardiovascular medicine and Radiology, Cairo University, Egypt.
authors.forename: Randa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Deif
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: El-Sayed
authors.forename: Foad Abd
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Allah
authors.forename: Essam
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Baligh
authors.forename: Nervana M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: El-Fayomy
authors.forename: Loai
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ezzat
authors.forename: Heba
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gamal