A COMPARISON OF NON‐INVASIVE METHODS IN THE ASSESSMENT OF EXTRACRANIAL CAROTID ARTERY DISEASE

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Abstract
The accuracy of 4 noninvasive methods used in the evaluation of the extracranial carotid arterial system are presented. Three of the methods were flow-dependent, while the 4th was an ultrasonic imaging system. A consecutive series of 67 patients (134 carotid arteries) having carotid disorders were investigated by means of carotid phonoangiography (CPA), oculoplethysmography (OPG), supraorbital Doppler (SOD) and B-mode ultrasound scanning. The sensitivity of the B-mode ultrasound was 81% with the OPG, CPA and Doppler method, yielding sensitivities of 51, 56 and 63%, respectively. The specificity of both the OPG 95% and the Doppler 90% was high. The combined use of both B-mode ultrasound and OPG or Doppler will provide an improved overall accuracy in the assessment of extracranial carotid stenosis.