Carotid atherosclerosis involves the accumulation of intimal plaque at the carotid bifurcation and internal carotid artery, with the potential for embolization and ischemic stroke. Duplex ultrasound characterizes plaque morphology (echogenicity, surface contour, ulceration), measures intima-media thickness (IMT), and quantifies stenosis using peak systolic velocity (PSV) and ICA/CCA velocity ratios per NASCET criteria.
ICD-10 Code: I65.2 | MeSH ID: D002340 | Primary Anatomy: Carotid Artery
Key Reference: PubMed: PMID: 23034729