Carotid artery stenosis MRA

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

MRA tends to over-estimate the stenosis, but can be used in collaboration with duplex to evaluate the carotid stenosis.

If there is doubt whether the narrowing is still patent (open to blood flow) and the patient is to be assessed for treatment, the next imaging option would either be computed tomography angiography (CTA) or a magnetic resonance angiography (MRA).

• MRA takes much longer to complete
• Over-estimates the stenosis
• More expensive and not yet as widely available

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