1. Epidemiology of carotid atherosclerosis / Vivien H. Lee and Robert D. Brown Jr. -- 2. Carotid atherogenesis : from experimental models to humans / Augusto Orlandi -- 3. Natural history of carotid atherosclerosis / Elena R. Ladich. [et al.] -- 4. Pathobiologic determinants of carotid plaque development / Elena Bonanno -- 5. Anatomoclinical correlation between symptomatic plaque and ischemic damage / Luigi Giusto Spagnoli and Amedeo Ferlosio -- 6. Risk factors and the morphology of atherosclerotic carotid plaque / Alessandro Mauriello -- 7. From coronaries to carotids : shifting the paradigm of plaque vulnerability / Giuseppe Sangiorgi and Alessandro Mauriello -- 8. Imaging modalities to identify high-risk subgroups / Joachim Schofer -- 9. Carotid echo doppler : diagnostic tool or impact on indication and treatment? / Guido Balestra, Fausto Castriota and Alberto Cremonesi -- 10. Role of angiography and intravascular ultrasound / David R. Holmes Jr., Eric Yang and L. Nelson Hopkins -- 11. Optimal utilization of spiral computed tomography / Filippo Cademartiri. [et al.] -- 12. Optimal utilization of magnetic resonance imaging / Javier Sanz, Zahi A. Fayad and Valentin Fuster -- 13. Impact of plaque analysis on treatment strategy / Marco A. Costa and Luis A. Guzman -- 14. The medical treatment of carotid artery disease / Aloke V. Finn. [et al.] -- 15. Contrast ultrasound for vasa vasorum imaging : can we improve plaque risk stratification? / Stefano Coli. [et al.] -- 16. Registries and trials of carotid artery stenting versus carotid endarterectomy / Junichi Yamamoto. [et al.] -- 17. Is any stent suitable for any lesion? / Alberto Cremonesi. [et al.] -- 18. Protection devices : a must or an option? / Dimitrios Nikas and Bernhard Reimers -- 19. Carotid angioplasty : Buenos Aires experience, ENERI Medical Institute / Pedro Lylyk -- 20. The role of surgery for carotid atherosclerotic disease / Joseph Ricotta and Timothy M. Sullivan -- 21. New diagnostic tools to identify vulnerable carotid plaques / Hidehiko Hara and Robert S. Schwartz -- 22. Cell-based approaches to arterial repair / Thomas J. Kiernan and Robert D. Simari.