Stigmata of carotid atherosclerotic plaques and their relation to cerebral infarction

Objective To investigate the stigmata of carotid atherosclerotic plaques in Chinese patients, and evaluate the relationship between cerebral infarction and carotid artery atherosclerosis. Methods 3D CE-MRA was performed in 1?058 patients with suspected diseases of carotid arteries or cerebral ischemia.The site,morphology,size and number of plaques were determined.Results The carotid atherosclerotic plaques and the cerebral infarction proved by CT or MRI were on the same side in 198 cases. Thirty-six cases were found to have carotid atherosclerotic plaques,but had no cerebral infarction,while 70 cases were proved to have cerebral infarction whose carotid arteries did not show any abnormalities. 790 cases did not show any pathological changes in both carotid arteries and cerebrum. In all carotid atherosclerosis patients,129 cases had atherosclerosis involving only one segment,while 105 cases had pathological changes in many segments.Of them,16 were found to have plaques and stenosis in both left and right carotid arteries. In cases whose atherosclerotic plaques and the cerebral infarction proved by CT or MRI were on the same side,the atherosclerotic plaques were found mostly in the carotid bifurcation,involved many segments and showed many kinds of morphology.Thin and flat atherosclerotic plaques were found mostly in the common carotid artery segments in the cases with carotid atherosclerotic plaques but without cerebral infarction. Conclusion There was close relation between carotid atherosclerosis and the cerebral infarction.