Imaging
Carotid Stenosis
- Preliminary Diagnosis: Carotid Stenosis
-
I. What imaging technique is first-line for this diagnosis?
- II. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of this technique for diagnosis of carotid stenosis.
-
III. What are the contraindications for the first-line imaging technique?
-
IV. What alternative imaging techniques are available?
- V. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of the alternative techniques for diagnosis of carotid stenosis.
- VI. What are the contraindications for the alternative imaging techniques?
Preliminary Diagnosis: Carotid Stenosis
I. What imaging technique is first-line for this diagnosis?
Ultrasound with Doppler interrogation and spectral waveform imaging
II. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of this technique for diagnosis of carotid stenosis.
Advantages
Relatively inexpensive
Does not use ionizing radiation
Can compare both left and right carotid vasculature
Useful for detecting low velocity flow at and distal to preocclusive stenoses
Useful for estimating degree of stenosis with velocity parameters
Disadvantages
May be difficult to examine vasculature in obese patients
III. What are the contraindications for the first-line imaging technique?
No significant contraindications
IV. What alternative imaging techniques are available?
MRA
Digital subtraction angiography (DSA)
V. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of the alternative techniques for diagnosis of carotid stenosis.
MRA
Advantages
Does not expose the patient to ionizing radiation
Disadvantages
Expensive
Requires significant patient cooperation to minimize motion artifact
May over or underestimate the degre of carotid stenosis due to flow turbulence
DSA
Advantages
It is the gold standard for documentation of carotid stenosis/occlusion.
Disadavantages
Expensive
Exposure to ionizing radiation
Invasive
May underestimate the degree of stenosis
VI. What are the contraindications for the alternative imaging techniques?
MRA
Absolute contraindication is non-MR-compatible hadware.
DSA
Relative contraindication is exposure to ionizing radiation in pregnant patients.
Copyright © 2017, 2014 Decision Support in Medicine, LLC. All rights reserved.
No sponsor or advertiser has participated in, approved or paid for the content provided by Decision Support in Medicine LLC. The Licensed Content is the property of and copyrighted by DSM.
Related Resources
Sign Up for Free e-newsletters
Regimen and Drug Listings
GET FULL LISTINGS OF TREATMENT Regimens and Drug INFORMATION
Bone Cancer | Regimens | Drugs |
Brain Cancer | Regimens | Drugs |
Breast Cancer | Regimens | Drugs |
Endocrine Cancer | Regimens | Drugs |
Gastrointestinal Cancer | Regimens | Drugs |
Gynecologic Cancer | Regimens | Drugs |
Head and Neck Cancer | Regimens | Drugs |
Hematologic Cancer | Regimens | Drugs |
Lung Cancer | Regimens | Drugs |
Other Cancers | Regimens | |
Prostate Cancer | Regimens | Drugs |
Rare Cancers | Regimens | |
Renal Cell Carcinoma | Regimens | Drugs |
Skin Cancer | Regimens | Drugs |
Urologic Cancers | Regimens | Drugs |
Cancer Therapy Advisor Articles
- Patient-Reported Outcomes in Oncology Expected to Make Regulatory Waves
- Metastatic Prostate Cancer Responds to Novel Radiation Therapy
- FDA Provides Update on Breast Implant-Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma
- Q&A With Mark B. Gerstein, PhD, on Diagnostic Genomic vs Exomic Sequencing
- Immune Signature for Renal Cell Papillary Carcinoma Predicts Outcome
- Nivolumab-Ipilimumab Survival Benefit in Advanced RCC Confirmed
- Two-Drug Combination Superior to Sunitinib in Patients With Untreated Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma
- Adding Chemotherapy to Radiation Post-Radical Cystectomy Improves Survival in Urothelial Carcinoma
- Radiation, Chemotherapy Not Beneficial in Localized Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma
- Radical Cystectomy Superior to Trimodal Therapy for Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer