Incidence of stroke every year increases worldwide, according to the World Health Organization ischemic stroke remains the second leading cause of disability in Europe after ischaemic heart disease and is the sixth leading cause worldwide [1]. There are several causes for cerebral ischemia and if risk factors are diagnosed timely, the risk of stroke can be reduced significantly. The unstable plaque abruption and embolization to intracerebral artery is one of main ischemic stroke cause [2-3]. This demonstrates the need for a more accurate diagnostic tool for evaluation of plaque structural changes with multiparametric imaging. CEUS is one of the most perspective method for unstable atherosclerotic plaque diagnostic and is timely accessible, but it has limitations [4-9].  

The purpose of this prospective study was to analyze multi-parametric US techniques ability to confirm the plaque instability more precisely than the baseline investigation of Duplex US and find out correlation between the CEUS results and histological findings. To analyze CEUS limitations in confirming plaque’s instability, evaluate specificity, sensitivity and find out correlation between contrast US techniques results and histological findings.