title: Characterisation of carotid plaques with ultrasound elastography: feasibility and correlation with high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the ability of ultrasound non-invasive vascular elastography (NIVE) strain analysis to characterise carotid plaque composition and vulnerability as determined by high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-one subjects with 50 % or greater carotid stenosis underwent NIVE and high-resolution MRI of internal carotid arteries. Time-varying strain images (elastograms) of segmented plaques were generated from ultrasonic raw radiofrequency sequences. On MRI, corresponding plaques and components were segmented and quantified. Associations between strain parameters, plaque composition and symptomatology were estimated with curve-fitting regressions and Mann-Whitney tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean stenosis and age were 72.7 % and 69.3 years, respectively. Of 31 plaques, 9 were symptomatic, 17 contained lipid and 7 were vulnerable on MRI. Strains were significantly lower in plaques containing a lipid core compared with those without lipid, with 77-100 % sensitivity and 57-79 % specificity (P < 0.032). A statistically significant quadratic fit was found between strain and lipid content (P < 0.03). Strains did not discriminate symptomatic patients or vulnerable plaques.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ultrasound NIVE is feasible in patients with significant carotid stenosis and can detect the presence of a lipid core with high sensitivity and moderate specificity. Studies of plaque progression with NIVE are required to identify vulnerable plaques.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  • Non-invasive vascular elastography (NIVE) provides additional information in vascular ultrasound • Ultrasound NIVE is feasible in patients with significant carotid stenosis • Ultrasound NIVE detects a lipid core with high sensitivity and moderate specificity • Studies on plaque progression with NIVE are required to identify vulnerable plaques.
authors: Department of Radiology, University of Montreal Hospital Center (CHUM), Montréal, Québec, Canada. cyrillenaim@yahoo.ca
authors: Cyrille
authors: C
authors: Naim
authors: Guy
authors: G
authors: Cloutier
authors: Elizabeth
authors: E
authors: Mercure
authors: François
authors: F
authors: Destrempes
authors: Zhao
authors: Z
authors: Qin
authors: Walid
authors: W
authors: El-Abyad
authors: Sylvain
authors: S
authors: Lanthier
authors: Marie-France
authors: MF
authors: Giroux
authors: Gilles
authors: G
authors: Soulez
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D018450:Disease Progression; D054459:Elasticity Imaging Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012372:ROC Curve; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids