OSCILLATING THROMBOEMBOLI WITHIN THE EXTRACRANIAL INTERNAL CAROTID-ARTERY DEMONSTRATED BY ULTRASONOGRAPHY IN PATIENTS WITH ACUTE CARDIOEMBOLIC STROKE

We detected oscillating thromboemboli at the extracranial internal car otid artery (ICA) by duplex carotid ultrasonography in patients with a cute cardioembolic stroke. Using B-mode ultrasonography, we evaluated the extracranial ICA in 11 patients with acute cardioembolic ICA occlu sion, A homogeneous, elastic, oscillating intraluminal mass echo origi nating in the extracranial ICA extended distally in 5 (46%) of these p atients. The echoes moved quickly and distally during the systolic pha se of the cardiac cycle and returned slowly to the original position d uring the diastolic phase, We performed a postmortem study 24 days aft er stroke onset in 1 patient with an oscillating intraluminal mass ech o that had been demonstrated by duplex ultrasonography, The ICA. lumen was obstructed with a fresh string-like thrombus, The findings of osc illating intraluminal mass echo may help establish a diagnosis of acut e embolic ICA occlusion, (C) 1998 World Federation for Ultrasound in M edicine & Biology.