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Carotid Artery Evaluation

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Imaging in Nephrology

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Abstract

Cerebrovascular disease is a significant cause of disability and mortality in the developed countries. Stroke is generally ischemic, secondary to emboli migration, often from a vulnerable plaque at the carotid bifurcation.

Early detection and treatment of carotid artery disease are therefore crucial and noninvasive imaging modalities may provide comprehensive anatomical information to aid in planning therapeutic strategies. In the last decades many imaging modalities have been developed, allowing not only to measure the degree of stenosis, but also to evaluate the presence of intraplaque hemorrhage or a lipid-rich core, the degree of inflammation, and its effect on the carotid flow. The advancements in carotid imaging permit to risk stratify patients and to obtain several information about their possible outcome.

In this chapter, we provide an overview of the carotid imaging techniques and describe the actual applications of different imaging modalities to detect carotid pathologies, revealing their limitations and advantages.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Radiology and Neuroradiology Diagnostic and Interventional Department, Fondazione IRCSS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy

    Ilaria Fiorina

  2. Radiology Institute, Fondazione IRCSS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy

    Annalisa Nanni, Shaun Muzic, Filippo Richelmi, Maria Vittoria Raciti, Fabrizio Calliada & Chandra Bortolotto

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  1. Ilaria Fiorina
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nephrology and Dialysis, “Cannizzaro” Emergency Hospital, Catania, Italy

    Antonio Granata

  2. Department of Radiology, Cattinara Hospital, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy

    Michele Bertolotto

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Fiorina, I. et al. (2021). Carotid Artery Evaluation. In: Granata, A., Bertolotto, M. (eds) Imaging in Nephrology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-60794-4_25

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-60794-4_25

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