Asymptomatic carotid plaque rupture with unexpected thrombosis over a non-canonical vulnerable lesion

Several studies have demonstrated that carotid plaque rupture and thrombosis represent the most important factors correlated with the onset of acute cerebrovascular symptoms. Nevertheless, ruptured thrombotic plaques have been described also in asymptomatic patients. What still needs to be clarified is why a plaque rupture leads either to an acute ischemic syndrome or, in a minor group of patients, remains asymptomatic. The purpose of this study was to systematically compare the histologic features of thrombotic plaques both in asymptomatic and symptomatic patients in order to identify specific findings that could explain the peculiar clinical behavior that characterizes each of the clinical settings.