Noninvasive studies of the carotid bifurcation

The accuracy of the noninvasive carotid system studies done in our laboratory during an 18-month period were reviewed. The usefulness of these procedures was found to be limited when used as a "blind" screen for extracranial vascular disease. The overall correlation with angiography was good, with few false-negatives and an accuracy rate of 86%. A comparison with cervical auscultation showed high false-positive rates for both methods.