At 11:16 PM 9/3/99 +-200, you wrote:

>        Hello Flownetters,

>

>I would like to request some advice on the evaluation of carotid stenosis.

>In our Hospital we measure stenosis by ultrasound comparing the diameter of

the lumen with the diameter of the vessel at the point of maximum stenosis

(real stenosis), but correlation  with the results of arteriography is

sometimes poor because they compare the diameter of the lumen with the

distal diameter of the carotid.

>Do you think that we must do the same by ultrasound?

>

>Carlos Nicolau

>

>

Yes, Carlos.  You should measure the percent stenosis by ultrasound the same

way that your angiography department measures percent stenosis.  By

measuring the distal vessel diameter you are measuring the vessel at the

more normal diameter.  For example, if you measure the tightest area of

stenosis in the proximal ICA, and this is where the carotid bulb is, you

will get a falsely high percent stenosis if you also measure the diameter of

the vessel here, because this is where the vessel is the widest.  Measure

the diameter of the vessel more distally, and you will get a more accurate

percent stenosis by color angio.



Deb Richert, RDMS, RVT

La Crosse, WI