Carotid intima-media thickness testing by non-sonographer clinicians: the office practice assessment of carotid atherosclerosis study.
BACKGROUND
The purpose of this study was to determine whether a non-sonographer clinician (NSC) could obtain ultrasound images of the carotid artery, measure carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), and identify findings indicating increased cardiovascular risk in an office setting.


METHODS
Eight NSCs from five sites were trained to use a handheld ultrasound device to screen the carotid arteries for plaques and to measure CIMT.


RESULTS
NSCs scanned 150 subjects who provided 900 images, of which 873 (97%) were interpretable. Differences between NSCs and the core laboratory were small (0.002 +/- 0.004 mm) and bioequivalent (P(TOST) < 0.05) with a low coefficient of variation (3.9% +/- 0.5%). There was > or = 90% agreement on the presence of CIMT > or = 75th percentile and > or = 80% agreement on plaque presence.


CONCLUSIONS
This is the first multicenter study to show that NSCs can obtain images of the carotid arteries using a handheld ultrasound device, accurately measure CIMT, and identify findings indicating increased cardiovascular risk.
Korcarz
Claudia E
CE
University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin 53792, USA.
Hirsch
Alan T
AT
Bruce
Charles
C
DeCara
Jeanne M
JM
Mohler
Emile R
ER
Pogue
Bryan
B
Postley
John
J
Tzou
Wendy S
WS
Stein
James H
JH
D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D006282:Health Personnel; D009819:Office Visits; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems; D011361:Professional Competence; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler / Q000379:methods