title: Current status and future developments of contrast-enhanced ultrasound of carotid atherosclerosis.
abstract: B-mode and Doppler ultrasound are commonly used for the evaluation of atherosclerosis in the carotid arteries. Recently, contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) has been introduced as a technique to improve the detection of carotid atherosclerosis and evaluate the presence of intraplaque neovascularization, which is considered a marker of plaque vulnerability. The present review focuses on the role of CEUS for the assessment of atherosclerosis and plaque instability. Currently available literature and future developments with CEUS are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmacology, Vascular, and Metabolic Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Gerrit L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Ten Kate
authors.forename: Stijn C H
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: van den Oord
authors.forename: Eric J G
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Sijbrands
authors.forename: Aad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: van der Lugt
authors.forename: Nico
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: de Jong
authors.forename: Johan G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Bosch
authors.forename: Antonius F W
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: van der Steen
authors.forename: Arend F L
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Schinkel
mesh_terms: D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D003287:Contrast Media; D018450:Disease Progression; D016894:Endarterectomy, Carotid; D006801:Humans; D045423:Microbubbles; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic; D018579:Patient Selection; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media