Assessment of Vulnerability to Carotid Stenosis by MultiModal Imaging and Cellular and Molecular Biology Analysis Pilot Study

Cerebrovascular accidents (CVA) are the second leading cause of death in France, and the most frequent cause of acquired physical and mental disability. Up to 90% of strokes are ischemic, among which about 15% are due to the presence of stenosis of the carotid sinus, at the base of the extracranial internal carotid artery.

For many years, only the degree of stenosis was used to assess the risk of stroke, based on the results of original studies from the 1990s. However, the significant improvement in medical treatments since then has significantly reduced the risk of stroke, and the benefits of carotid intervention are becoming increasingly debatable.

Since the publication of the latest recommendations, the degree of stenosis alone is no longer sufficient to propose an intervention, since most of them will never lead to a neurological event. In addition to stenosis greater than 60%, for the first time, other criteria must be sought to decide on treatment. For example, so-called carotid plaque "vulnerability" criteria, defining patients "at high risk of stroke," should be sought.