10-MHz-B-scan sonography of the cervical carotid arteries

Two hundred and eighty-two consecutive patients with cerebro-vascular insufficiency, with non-specific neurological symptoms or asymptomatic murmurs, were examined prospectively by two-dimensional high resolution 10 MHz B-scan real time sonography. Arteriosclerotic plaques were usually semi-circular (77%), of high amplitude (64%) and homogeneous (80%). Ulcerating plaques were correctly diagnosed in only three out of eight cases demonstrated angiographically. So far there has been no definite relationship between the appearance of the plaques and clinical symptoms. Compared with arteriography (170 examinations) the specificity of sonography was 98% (62/63), the sensitivity for plaques was 100% (50/50), for stenoses it was 63% (5/8) to 93% (14/15), for occlusions it was 76% (13/17). The indications and drawbacks of the method are discussed.