Duplex carotid sonography: correlation with digital subtraction angiography and conventional angiography

Duplex sonography is a relatively new technique for noninvasive evaluation of the extracranial carotid arteries. In a prospective, double-blind study of 453 vessels (229 patients) over a one-year period, an excellent correlation was found with intravenous digital subtraction angiography (DSA) in 66.3 per cent of vessels, good correlation in an additional 28.4 per cent of vessels, and poor correlation in only 5.3 per cent. Duplex was compared with conventional biplane angiography in 86 vessels (45 patients); there was excellent correlation in 71 per cent, good correlation in 20 per cent, and poor agreement in 9 per cent of vessels. Duplex sonography is a highly accurate method of evaluating the cervical carotid system and it has a complementary role with DSA.