Capabilities and limitations of pulsed Doppler sonography in carotid imaging.

Pulsed Doppler ultrasonic imaging of the extracranial carotid arteries was performed in 118 patients (226 arteries) in whom selective contrast arteriograms were available for comparison to ultrasonic images. Specificity for the detection of normal and stenosis less than 50% was 84%, whereas sensitivity for detecting stenosis greater than 50% and occlusion of the internal carotid arteries was 89%. Overall accuracy was 85%. Capabilities and limitations in the use of the technique are presented in selected case reports.