[Radiation-induced bilateral common carotid artery stenosis--a report of a case]

A case of radiation-induced bilateral common carotid artery stenosis is reported. This 60 years old housewife was hospitalized in 1982 because of sudden onset of mild left hemiparesis. Twenty-five years ago, she underwent radiation therapy of approximately 5,000 rads to the anterior cervical region because of thyroid cancer. Angiograms in 1982 revealed bilateral common carotid artery stenosis, especially in the right common carotid artery, the legion of which were included within the field of radiation performed in 1952. Right thromboendarterectomy was performed in 1983. At operation, slight periarterial fibrosis with calcified arteriosclerotic change was found, and dissection between the thickened intima and the media was not so difficult. Histological change of resected thromboendarterium was similar to the one observed in the pure arteriosclerotic disease.