title: Improved carotid atherosclerotic plaques imaging with contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate neovascularisation within carotid atherosclerotic plaques with contrast enhanced ultrasound.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used contrast-enhanced ultrasound to examine 33 patients with carotid atherosclerotic plaques. Plaque size and echogenicity were analyzed and we correlated neovascularization within the plaques.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 41 atherosclerotic plaques, 27 plaques enhanced after the injection of a contrast agent. Among the group of enhancing plaques we found 8 soft- and 19 mixed plaques. The overall thickness ranging in enhanced plaques was from 1.8 to 4.6 mm. In all cases the contrast uptake in the plaques was later than in the carotid artery. Among the 14 unenhanced atherosclerotic plaques, 4 plaques presented as hard plaques, three calcified plaques, two soft plaques and five presented as mixed plaques. The overall thickness ranging in unenhanced plaques was from 1.7 to 6 mm.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Contrast-enhanced ultrasound allows the non invasive, dynamic evaluation of neovascularisation within carotid plaques.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Radiology, Klinikum Grosshadern, University of Munich, Munich, Germany. Dirk.Clevert@med.uni-muenchen.de
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Clevert
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Sommer
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Helck
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Saam
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reiser
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media