[Diagnosis of symptomatic plaque in the carotid arteries of patients with neurologic ischemia symptoms].

We compared the neurological symptoms and the results of Duplex-scan (ATL Marc 600 and Ultramarc 4 Duplex Scanner, Advanced Technology Laboratories, Inc., Bothell, WA) examinations of the carotid arteries in 123 patients with transitory or persistent neurological deficit without hemodynamically relevant stenosis or other source of embolism. 87.8% of patients showed atherosclerotic changes of the carotids, 37.3% signs of ulceration. In patients with ulcers cerebral ischemic events were more frequent than ocular ischemic events. Homogenous plaque formation without signs of ulceration was more correlated with retinal symptoms. Hemodynamically nonsignificant plaque formation in the carotid arteries may be an important cause of cerebral ischemic events. Heterogenous plaques cause bigger embolies than homogenous plaques.