Figure 1

Distribution of carotid artery plaques in our cohort of systemic sclerosis and systemic lupus erythematosus patients. Carotid artery plaques are mostly located at the internal carotid artery (ICA) and the region of the bulb, and are rarely observed at the external carotid artery (ECA) and the common carotid artery (CCA). An extension of carotid ultrasound examination distal to the CCA segment for plaque assessment is highly recommended.