[B-image sonography of carotid bifurcation]

The main purpose of noninvasive high-resolution B-mode sonography of the extracranial carotid artery is to detect clinically relevant arteriosclerotic lesions. That is the reason why reproducible parameters are needed for the description of normal and pathological echo patterns of the vascular lumen and the vascular wall. From an experimental evaluation of 100 carotid specimens examined with a high resolution real time scanner a list of definitions for sonomorphologic parameters is derived. These parameters refer to the clinical importance of luminal and intramural changes. Because of its high sensitivity for even minimal arteriosclerotic lesions, B-mode sonography is a useful method for clinical and epidemiological studies of extracranial carotid disease.