Courtesy of Grant E G, Benson C B, Moneta G L, et al. Dopper Diagnostic Thresholds” on Page 344 in Carotid artery stenosis: Gray-scale and Doppler US diagnosis—Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound Consensus Conference. Radiology
2003;229: p. 340-346.
The consensus panel developed recommendations for diagnosis and stratification of ICA
stenosis. These recommendations were derived from analysis of numerous studies and do not
represent the results of any one laboratory or study. For a particular laboratory setting,
internal validation is encouraged when possible. This may yield alternative diagnostic criteria
that can be used successfully at that facility. However, each laboratory should have a single set
of diagnostic criteria that is applied uniformly. The following points should be considered in
the diagnosis of ICA stenosis:
1. The ICA is considered normal when ICA PSV is less than 125 cm/sec and no plaque or
intimal thickening is visible sonographically. Additional criteria include ICA/CCA PSV ratio <
2.0 and ICA EDV < 40 cm/sec. Plaque estimate (diameter reduction) with gray-scale and color
Doppler US: None.
2. A <50% ICA stenosis is diagnosed when ICA PSV is less than 125 cm/sec and plaque or
intimal thickening is visible sonographically. Additional criteria include ICA/CCA PSV ratio < 2.0
and ICA EDV < 40 cm/sec. Plaque estimate (diameter reduction) with gray-scale and color
Doppler US < 50 %.
3. A 50%–69% ICA stenosis is diagnosed when ICA PSV is 125–230 cm/sec and plaque is visible
sonographically. Additional criteria include ICA/CCA PSV ratio of 2.0–4.0 and ICA EDV of 40–
100 cm/sec. Plaque estimate (diameter reduction) with gray-scale and color Doppler US ≥ 50
%.
4. A >70% ICA stenosis but less than near occlusion of the ICA is diagnosed when the ICA PSV
is greater than 230 cm/sec and visible plaque and luminal narrowing are seen at gray-scale and
color Doppler US. Additional criteria include ICA/CCA PSV ratio > 4 and ICA EDV > 100 cm/sec.
The higher the Doppler parameter lies above the threshold of 230 cm/sec, the greater the
likelihood of severe disease. Plaque estimate (diameter reduction) with gray-scale and color
Doppler US ≥ 50%.
5. In cases of near occlusion of the ICA, the velocity parameters may not apply, since velocities
(PSV, EDV, PSV ratio) may be high, low, or undetectable. This diagnosis is established primarily
by demonstrating a markedly narrowed lumen at color or power Doppler US.
6. Total occlusion of the ICA should be suspected when there is no detectable patent lumen at
gray-scale US and no flow with spectral, power, and color Doppler US. Magnetic resonance
(MR) angiography, computed tomographic (CT) angiography, or conventional angiography may
be used for confirmation in this setting.