title: A novel experimental approach for three-dimensional geometry assessment of calcified human stenotic arteries in vitro.
abstract: To improve diagnosis and understanding of the risk of rupture of atherosclerotic plaque, new strategies to realistically determine mechanical properties of atherosclerotic plaque need to be developed. In this study, an in vitro experimental method is proposed for accurate 3-D assessment of (diseased) vessel geometry using ultrasound. The method was applied to a vascular phantom, a healthy porcine carotid artery and human carotid endarterectomy specimens (n = 6). Vessel segments were pressure fixed and rotated in 10 ° steps. Longitudinal cross sections were imaged over 360 °. Findings were validated using micro-computed tomography (μCT). Results show good agreement between ultrasound and μCT-based geometries of the different segment types (ISI phantom = 0.94, ISI healthy = 0.79, ISI diseased = 0.75-0.80). The method does not suffer from acoustic shadowing effects present when imaging stenotic segments and allows future dynamic measurements to determine mechanical properties of atherosclerotic plaque in an in vitro setting.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands. r.w.boekhoven@tue.nl
authors.forename: Renate W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Boekhoven
authors.forename: Richard G P
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Lopata
authors.forename: Marc R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: van Sambeek
authors.forename: Frans N
authors.initials: FN
authors.lastname: van de Vosse
authors.forename: Marcel C M
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Rutten
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000818:Animals; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013552:Swine; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Atherosclerosis; Segmentation; Ultrasonography