title: Contrast-enhanced sonographic characteristics of neovascularization in carotid atherosclerotic plaques.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate neovascularization within carotid atherosclerotic plaques with contrast-enhanced sonography.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used contrast-enhanced sonography to examine 63 patients with carotid atherosclerotic plaques. The features of neovascularization within the plaques were analyzed and correlated with plaque size and echogenicity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 81 atherosclerotic plaques, 62 of which (43 soft and 19 mixed) enhanced after injection of a contrast agent. The enhancement occurred from the carotid wall to the center of the plaque with a short-line pattern in 36 plaques, whereas 26 plaques enhanced from both the carotid wall and the carotid lumen, with a sparse spot pattern. The arrival time of contrast was shorter (p < 0.001) and time to peak was longer (p < 0.001) in the plaques than in the carotid lumen. Time to peak was shorter, whereas enhanced intensity was greater in soft plaques than in mixed plaques (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively). Among the 19 unenhanced plaques, 6 were hard, 3 were calcified, 3 were soft, and 7 were mixed. The thickness of the unenhanced plaques was <2.4 mm.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Contrast-enhanced sonography allows the noninvasive, dynamic evaluation of neovascularization within carotid plaques, and the presence of neovascularization may correlate with plaque morphology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasonography, 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical College, 109 Xueyuan West Road Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province 325027, China.
authors.forename: Pin-tong
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Fu-guang
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Chun-peng
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.forename: Hai-yan
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Xin-qiao
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Ji-fei
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Peng-lin
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Xiao-tong
authors.initials: XT
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D010743:Phospholipids; D013459:Sulfur Hexafluoride; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D010743:Phospholipids; C420843:contrast agent BR1; D013459:Sulfur Hexafluoride