Carotid atherosclerosis is responsible for 20-30% of cerebral infarction. Besides degree of carotid artery stenosis, atheromatous plaque is known as an important risk factor of ischemic stroke. Vulnerable plaque which means plaque has a high risk to develop ischemic event, usually seems to have large lipid necrotic core near the surface, thin fibrous cap, and/or ulcerative surface. The ultrasonic characteristics of vulnerable plaque include echolucency, irregular surface (ulceration), and heterogenic echo texture. However, there were some incompatible results about plaque morphology related to the stroke risk. Still further investigation which can provide correlation between imaging findings and pathologic findings of carotid atheromatous plaques is needed.

Journal of Neurosonology 5(1):1-6, 2013
Key Words: Carotid atherosclerosis, Cerebral infarction, Vulnerable plaque