Aim To explore the correlation between subtype of OCSP and carotid artery atherosclerosis in patients with acute cerebral infarction. Methods 146 patients with acute cerebral infarction were classified into 4 major ischemic stroke subtypes based on OCSP criteria and carotid artery were detected by color doppler of ultrasound.The relationship between them was analyzed. Results The percentage of each acute cerebral infarction OCSP subtypes of patients was as following: PACI 43.1%,LACI 39.0%,POCI 11.6%,TACI 6.3%;of all the patients,the 70.5% had carotid artery with plaque.In the TACI+PACI group,55.3% were detected with plaques;the mean plaques were 3.26±1.87,33.3% were detected with more than four carotid plaques and 46.9% were detected with unstable plaques,which were significantly higher than those in other two groups(P><0.05),whereas,there was no difference between LACI group and POCI group(P>0.05). Conclusion There is strong correlation between PACI and TACI and carotid atherosclerotic artery plaque,plaque stability and number.Actions should be taken to patients with carotid artery plaque detected by color doppler ultrasound.