[Progress in diagnosis of arteriosclerosis in humans--review].
Most of cerebrovascular diseases or ischemic heart diseases, the major causes of death in Japan, occur as terminal symptoms of atherosclerosis. Much effort has been made to prevent these diseases and also to assess premature atherosclerosis. Recently, new models of tools for diagnosis has been developed. There are several ways to determine the existence of atherosclerosis, namely (1) to find the major risk factors of atherosclerosis such as hyperlipoproteinemia, hypertension, diabetes mellitus and/or smoking, and also (2) for apparent cardiovascular patients, to examine the pathogenesis of the disease by using invasive methods such as selective arteriography, intravasculoscopy, and intravascular ultrasonic examination, if necessary, and (3) for asymptomatic people, to apply hypoinvasive examinations such as the ultrasonic examination, the computed tomography and magnetic resonance angiography. As a non-invasive diagnostic method, we have been trying to assess the progression of atherosclerosis clinically by computed tomography (CT) of the abdominal aorta. Recently we developed a new computer program to define the wall thickening and calcification of aorta on personal computer. In the near future, progression and regression collaboration studies in Japan may be achieved.
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D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D012307:Risk Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed