[Quantification of carotid stenosis by doppler ultrasonography: update]

In presence of an internal carotid artery stenosis, the evaluation of the degree of narrowing is a major issue for the achievement of most appropriate therapeutic strategy. Angiography has been for a long time considered as the gold standard, nevertheless non-invasive imaging methods are becoming of major importance. Among these techniques, duplex ultrasound is the most widely considered at the first stage. This is the single technique to provide in single stage anatomical and functional information. Criteria for carotid artery stenosis are well established. Despite this amount of data, one must notice a wide heterogeneity among different non-invasive vascular lab. Among the limits of ultrasound, discrepancy in the methodology of carotid artery stenosis evaluation is of major concern. Harmonization of reporting carotid stenosis grading should be a major issue for the optimization of the technique.