Echolucency of carotid plaques correlates with plaque cellularity.
OBJECTIVE
To analyse the relationship between carotid plaque echolucency and cellularity.


METHODS
Carotid plaques (14 symptomatic and 16 asymptomatic) were snap frozen after endarterectomy and defined on the basis of their grey-scale-median (GSM), obtained from pre-operative high-definition ultrasonography, as either echolucent (<32) or echogenic (>or=32). DNA and total soluble protein were determined to assess cellularity.


RESULTS
After correcting for wet weight, symptomatic plaques had significantly more DNA (0.400 +/- 0.07 vs 0.335 +/- 0.07 mg/g; p = 0.03) and soluble protein (34.1 +/- 6.6 vs 29.7 +/- 3.4 mg/g; p = 0.03) than asymptomatic plaques. Predominantly echolucent (Grey-Weale classification) plaques had more DNA (0.404 +/- 0.06 vs 0.332 +/- 0.08 mg/g; p = 0.03) than echogenic plaques. Plaques with GSM < 32 also had more DNA (0.386 +/- 0.08 vs 0.319 +/- 0.06 mg/g; p = 0.04) and soluble protein (34.7 +/- 7.3 vs 29.6 +/- 4.2 mg/g; p = 0.03) than those with GSM >or= 32. Inverse relations were found between GSM and plaque DNA (r = -0.47; p = 0.02) and soluble protein (r = -0.45; p = 0.02) as well as between age and DNA (r = 0.39; p = 0.04) and soluble protein (r = -0.50; p = 0.003).


CONCLUSIONS
Echolucency of carotid plaques as assessed by ultrasonography reflects plaque cellularity. This observation support the notion that ultrasonography can be used to identify high-risk plaques and evaluate effect of interventions on plaque structure.
Gonçalves
I
I
Department of Medicine, Lund University, Wallenberg-laboratory, Malmö University Hospital, SE-20502 Malmö, Sweden. isabel.goncalves@medforsk.mas.lu.se
Moses
J
J
Pedro
L M
LM
Dias
N
N
Fernandes e Fernandes
J
J
Nilsson
J
J
Ares
M P S
MP
D000368:Aged; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002343:Carotid Artery, Internal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002452:Cell Count; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011506:Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D014463:Ultrasonography
D011506:Proteins; D004247:DNA