Carotid phono-angiography and directional Doppler ultrasound in the assessment of carotid artery stenosis.

A combination of non-invasive tests consisting of Doppler ultrasound carotid velocity assessment, carotid phono-angiography and directional Doppler supra-orbital flow evaluation was used to detect internal carotid stenosis of 50% or more in patients with symptoms suggestive of cerebrovascular disease. When compared with contrast arteriography in 75 carotid arteries this battery of non-invasive tests detected 18 of 19 cases of carotid stenosis, resulting in a sensitivity of 95%. Three false-positive results yielded a specificity of 95%. The accuracy achieved with this non-invasive battery of tests suggested that clinical decisions are warranted on the basis of their results.