Why the study?
Ischemic stroke is associated with carotid plaque vulnerability as well as stenosis degree, highlighting the need to evaluate non-invasive CT angiography for identifying plaque instability.
Does computed tomography identify signs of vulnerability in carotid artery plaques in patients with atherosclerosis?
Does computed tomography identify signs of vulnerability in carotid artery plaques in patients with atherosclerosis?
Computed tomography is a highly informative non-invasive method for evaluating structural signs of carotid plaque vulnerability, which may help stratify the risk of ischemic stroke.
CTA plaque-vulnerability signs should not yet alter stenosis-based decisions; leaves open prospective trials of imaging-guided intervention.
Atherosclerotic lesion of the extracranial carotid arteries is one of the main causes of ischemic stroke. Computed tomography is a widely available, non-invasive method that allows us to evaluate not only the anatomical features of the brachiocephalic arteries and the degree of stenosis, but also the structure of the plaque. In recent years, there has been increasing evidence of an association of ischemic stroke not only with the degree of stenosis, but also with the presence of plaque vulnerability. Identification of signs of plaque instability using non-invasive diagnostic methods, such as CT angiography, has the potential to evaluate the risk of vascular events, reduce the need for invasive diagnosis, and facilitate timely identification of indications for surgical intervention.
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Galyautdinova et al. (2025) studied this question.
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