HITS in internal carotid dissections

Carotid dissections can cause neurological deficits either by hemodynamic o r embolic mechanisms. Anticoagulants are often used in this setting to prev ent neurological deterioration and stroke recurrence. High-intensity transi ent signals (HITS) detected by transcranial Doppler may be due to microembo lism. We investigated the presence and number of HITS in a series of 27 pat ients with carotid dissection. HITS were detected in 14 (52%) patients and only in cases with a less than 7-day evolution. No association was found be tween HITS and clinical or imagiological features of the dissection nor wit h neurological aggravation or treatment type. We failed to demonstrate any relevant clinical significance of HITS in carotid dissection, Copyright (C) 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel.