Qureshi AI et al. (2007) Guidelines for screening of extracranial carotid artery disease: a statement for healthcare professionals from the Multidisciplinary Practice Guidelines Committee of the American Society of Neuroimaging; cosponsored by the Society of Vascular and Interventional Neurology. J Neuroimaging 17: 19–47

The Multidisciplinary Practice Guidelines Committee of the American Society of Neuroimaging and the Society of Vascular and Interventional Neurology have released guidelines outlining which patient and population groups should be screened for asymptomatic extracranial carotid artery stenosis. The committee categorized the value of screening on the basis of the expected prevalence of carotid artery stenosis within the group, the anticipated benefit from intervention according to ACAS, ACST and SAPPHIRE trial results, and existing recommendations.

Within these comprehensive guidelines the authors strongly recommend screening of all patients with symptomatic peripheral vascular disease, and of patients with specified risk factors who are due to undergo CABG surgery. They also recommend screening of patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm with a history of transient ischemic attack, ischemic stroke, or retinal ischemic events. Patients who develop any of the last three conditions following carotid endarterectomy or carotid stent placement or have known contralateral untreated carotid stenosis should also be screened, but otherwise routine screening following these procedures is not recommended. All patients who have received unilateral or bilateral irradiation to the neck for head or neck cancer should be screened 10 years after treatment. Within the general population, the authors advocate possible screening of selected individuals aged 65 years or more who meet at least three of the following criteria: hypertension, coronary artery disease, hyperlipidemia, or current cigarette smoking.