Do you consider a severe ICA stenosis (70-99% narrowing per NASCET criteria) symptomatic if a lacunar stroke attributable to small vessel disease occurs in the perforating arteries (e.g. lenticulostriate) downstream from the stenosis?

This is a great question and I do not think there’s a definite answer for it. Indeed a small portion of subcortical lacunar infarcts is due to proximal embolism. On the other hand, lacunar infarcts and ECAD share multiple risk factors. Evidence of prior embolic-looking lesions, carotid plaque morpho...