2 CASES OF PROTRUDING ATHEROSCLEROTIC PLAQUE WITH MOBILE PROJECTIONS IN THE AORTIC-ARCH

We recently studied two patients with cerebral embolism, in whom trans esophageal echocardiography revealed protruding atheroselerotic plaque s with freely mobile projections in the aortic arch. Ultrasonic imagin g showed that the carotid artery was normal, and transthoracic and tra nsesophageal echocardiography did not reveal a cardiac embolic source in either case. In one patient, we observed that an atherosclerotic pl aque became ulcerated and developed mobile projections over the course of a year. More consideration should be given to the thoracic aorta a s a source of embolism in patients with unexplained stroke.