title: Identification of plaque location using indocyanine green videoangiography during carotid endarterectomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to assess whether surgical microscope-based indocyanine green (ICG) videoangiography (ICG-VA) using FLOW 800 software provides useful evaluation of blood flow during carotid endarterectomy (CEA).
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty CEA procedures were performed in 19 patients between July 2011 and January 2012. ICG was injected intravenously before and after CEA, and ICG-VA video sequences were analyzed using FLOW 800. Regions of interest were identified in the common carotid artery, plaque, internal carotid artery, and external carotid artery, and changes in intensity values were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The distal and proximal ends of the carotid plaque were identified in 87.5 and 75 % of cases, respectively. After CEA, intensity values in the common carotid artery, plaque, internal carotid artery, and external carotid artery had increased by 162 ± 129, 337 ± 212, 139 ± 151, and 177 ± 143, respectively. The intensity values in the region of the plaque showed the greatest improvement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ICG-VA can provide information regarding plaque location vessel patency during CEA. FLOW 800 software provides semiquantitative information regarding blood flow, especially in cases of severe stenosis with collapse of the internal carotid artery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, Fukuoka University, 7-45-1 Nanakuma, Jounan-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka, 814-0180, Japan, okawam@fukuoka-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Masakazu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Okawa
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ueba
authors.forename: Toshio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Higashi
authors.forename: Tooru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Inoue