title: Accuracy of in vivo carotid B-mode ultrasound compared with pathological analysis: intima-media thickening, lumen diameter, and cross-sectional area.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to determine the correlation of in vivo ultrasound measurements of intima-media thickening (IMT), lumen diameter, and cross-sectional area of the common carotid artery (CCA) with corresponding measurements obtained by gross pathology and histology.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-six moribund neurological patients (mean age 71 years) underwent B-mode ultrasound of the CCA a few days before death. During autopsy, carotid specimens were removed in toto. Carotid arteries were ligated and cannulated for injection of a hydrophilic embedding material under standardized conditions. The carotid bifurcation was frozen and cut manually in 3-mm cross slices. Digital image analysis was carried out to determine the diameter and the cross-sectional area of the frozen slices of the CCA. IMT was assessed by light microscope. Ultrasonic and planimetric data were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean measurements of lumen diameter and cross-sectional area were 7.13+/-1.27 mm and 0.496+/-0.167 cm(2), respectively, by ultrasound, and 7.81+/-1.45 mm and 0.516+/-0.194 cm(2), respectively, by planimetric analysis of the unfixed redistended carotid arteries (R(2)=0.389 and 0.497). The mean IMT was 1.005+/-0.267 mm by ultrasound and 0.67+/-0.141 mm histologically, resulting in a mean difference of -31%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Transcutaneous B-mode ultrasound provides a reliable approach for in vivo measurements of the cross-sectional area and, less exactly, of the lumen diameter of the CCA. Compared with histological results, in vivo ultrasound measurements of the IMT are systematically larger.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Debrecen, Medical and Health Science Centre, Faculty of Medicine, Debrecen, Hungary. Gernot.SAD@gmx.de
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schulte-Altedorneburg
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Droste
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Felszeghy
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kellermann
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Popa
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hegedüs
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hegedüs
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schmid
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Módis
authors.forename: E B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Ringelstein
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Csiba
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019412:Anatomy, Cross-Sectional; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D017536:Carotid Artery, Common / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D017540:Tunica Media / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*