Abstract
Objectives: Carotid stenosis developing following radiotherapy, i.e., radiation-induced carotid artery disease, has rarely been examined in detail. We used ultrasonography to examine carotid arteriosclerotic changes following head and neck cancer radiotherapy.
Subjects and Methods: Subjects numbered 6—5 men and 1 woman—(mean age, 67.5 years) undergoing external head and neck radiotherapy. We examined carotid ultrasound findings shortly after radiotherapy was started. Measurements included maximum intima-media thickness (max IMT) over 1.1 mm of the carotid artery wall and the presence of plaque.
Results: Max IMT over 1.1 mm was detected in 4 right common carotid arteries (CCA), 4 left CCA, 6 right internal carotid arteries (ICA), and 5 left ICA. Abnormal vascular flow was detected in one patient. Plaque was most often observed in the carotid bulb.
Conclusions: Bilateral carotid arteriosclerosis observed in all subjects undergoing head and neck radiotherapy indicated that head and neck irradiation may be a risk factor in carotid arteriosclerosis because subjects showed many CCA lesions despite having no other risk factors than smoking.
