USE OF CAROTID ULTRASOUND AS A PREOPERATIVE ASSESSMENT OF EXTRACRANIAL CAROTID-ARTERY BLOOD-FLOW AND VASCULAR ANATOMY

Carotid ultrasound evaluation as a preoperative assessment of internal carotid artery blood flow and anatomic stenosis is efficacious and sa fe. The technique, although operator dependent, is both inexpensive an d easily repeated with essentially no risk to the patient. Furthermore , when combined with MR angiography, it usually can obviate the need f or angiography in most endarterectomy candidates.