Carotid artery stenosis refers to narrowing of the internal carotid artery (ICA) due to atherosclerotic plaque. Carotid duplex ultrasound is the standard screening and diagnostic test, combining B-mode imaging of plaque morphology with Doppler velocity measurements to estimate stenosis severity.
\nDoppler Criteria
ICA peak systolic velocity (PSV), ICA/CCA PSV ratio, and end-diastolic velocity are used to classify stenosis as less than 50%, 50-69%, 70-99%, or occlusion. The Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound (SRU) consensus criteria are widely used in clinical practice.