An abbreviated carotid intima-media thickness scanning protocol to facilitate clinical screening for subclinical atherosclerosis.
BACKGROUND
Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) testing can assist with cardiovascular risk prediction; however, the requirement for rigorous, time-consuming protocols has limited it use in clinical practice.


METHODS
Bilateral images of the common carotid artery (CCA), bulb, and internal carotid artery segments were obtained using a comprehensive scanning protocol. Three abbreviated scanning protocols were evaluated for their ability to identify patients with increased CIMT (> or = 75th percentile).


RESULTS
Of 261 subjects, 134 (51.3%) had increased left or right CCA CIMT (CCA protocol), 136 (52.1%) had carotid plaque (plaque protocol), and 190 (72.7%) had plaque or at least one increased CCA CIMT (combination protocol). The area under the receiver-operator characteristic curves for the CCA (0.738) and combination protocols (0.692) were higher than the plaque protocol (0.625, P < .05). The combination protocol was 100% sensitive.


CONCLUSIONS
Compared with a comprehensive scanning protocol, plaque screening with measurement of far wall CCA CIMT identifies all patients with increased CIMT.
Gepner
Adam D
AD
University of Wisconsin Atherosclerosis Imaging Research Program, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin 53792, USA.
Wyman
Rachael A
RA
Korcarz
Claudia E
CE
Aeschlimann
Susan E
SE
Stein
James H
JH
D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*