Joint Study of Extracranial Arterial Occlusion

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Abstract
One hundred seventy-seven patients with transient ischemic attacks and a radiographic diagnosis of stenosis or occlusion at the cervical carotid artery bifurcation were included in our study. They were categorized by symptoms and type and extent of plaque. There were more smooth lesions reported in patients with less than 50% stenosis and more rough plaques in those with greater narrowing. Involvement of the cervical bifurcation by atherosclerosis presented a variable radiologic pattern. Seventy patients had unilateral stenosis; 83, bilateral stenosis; and 24, occlusion with contralateral stenosis. Smooth atheromata were described in 59 patients, rough in 87, and mixed lesions in 31. There was good correlation of the interpretation by the surgeon and the neuroradiologist when lesions were far-advanced or were roughened, and poor correlation when the lesions were minimal or smooth.