Radiation-induced carotid artery stenosis / 国际脑血管病杂志

Carotid artery stenosis is an important cause of ischemic stroke, and its mechanism is mainly associated with the formation of atherosclerotic plaques. Head and neck radiotherapy may accelerate plaque formation, leading to carotid artery stenosis. In addition, radiotherapy can also cause the damage to the intima and adventitia of blood vessels, exacerbating the degree of carotid artery stenosis. This carotid artery stenosis caused by radiotherapy is different from atherosclerotic carotid artery stenosis in etiology, pathogenesis, prevention and treatment. Therefore, a thorough understanding of the pathogenic mechanism is crucial for selecting appropriate prevention and treatment methods.