title: Inter-rater reliability of carotid atherosclerotic plaque quantification by 3-dimensional sonography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Embolization from atherosclerotic carotid plaques is the most common cause of ischemic stroke; therefore, identification of high-risk plaques by sonography is important. The aim of this study was to investigate the agreement between 2 investigators in the evaluation of sonographic parameters relating to plaque stability.
  
  
  METHODS
  The following plaque parameters were assessed: echogenicity, homogeneity, surface, maximum content, and total volume. Serial 2-dimensional (2D) image sequences were obtained. Linear motion of the probe was automatically synchronized with the electrocardiogram. The edges of the plaque in each image were manually identified by the investigators. The total plaque volume was calculated after computer transformation of 2D images into a 3-dimensinoal (3D) format. Inter-rater reliability for echogenicity, homogeneity, and the surface was assessed by the weighted κ coefficient. Parametric values were tested by a paired t test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We enrolled 30 patients (22 male; mean age ± SD, 72 ± 13 years) in the study and evaluated 28 atherosclerotic plaques. Inter-rater agreement values were as follows: homogeneity, 96% (κ = 0.84; P < .001); surface, 90% (κ = 0.77; P < .001); and echogenicity, 86% (κ = 0.60; P < .001). The significance values for plaque content and volume measurement agreement were P = .311 and .312, respectively, and the correlation coefficient was 0.808.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our study, the agreement between 2 examiners in the evaluation of 2D and 3D sonographic parameters related to plaque stability was good to excellent. The sonographic measurement of plaque volume growth was the most accurate parameter; therefore, 3D sonography may be used for risk assessment of plaques in the future.
authors: Department of Neurology and Faculty of Medicine, Faculty Hospital of Ostrava, Ostrava University, Ostrava, Czech Republic (M.B., M.R., D.Š.); Faculty of Mechanical Engineering (R.F.) and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (L.L.), Vysoká Škola Báňská-Technical University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic; and Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Ostrava University, Ostrava, Czech Republic (H.T.). michal.bar@fno.cz.
authors: Michal
authors: M
authors: Bar
authors: Department of Neurology and Faculty of Medicine, Faculty Hospital of Ostrava, Ostrava University, Ostrava, Czech Republic (M.B., M.R., D.Š.); Faculty of Mechanical Engineering (R.F.) and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (L.L.), Vysoká Škola Báňská-Technical University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic; and Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Ostrava University, Ostrava, Czech Republic (H.T.).
authors: Martin
authors: M
authors: Roubec
authors: Department of Neurology and Faculty of Medicine, Faculty Hospital of Ostrava, Ostrava University, Ostrava, Czech Republic (M.B., M.R., D.Š.); Faculty of Mechanical Engineering (R.F.) and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (L.L.), Vysoká Škola Báňská-Technical University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic; and Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Ostrava University, Ostrava, Czech Republic (H.T.).
authors: Radim
authors: R
authors: Farana
authors: Department of Neurology and Faculty of Medicine, Faculty Hospital of Ostrava, Ostrava University, Ostrava, Czech Republic (M.B., M.R., D.Š.); Faculty of Mechanical Engineering (R.F.) and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (L.L.), Vysoká Škola Báňská-Technical University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic; and Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Ostrava University, Ostrava, Czech Republic (H.T.).
authors: Lacezar
authors: L
authors: Ličev
authors: Department of Neurology and Faculty of Medicine, Faculty Hospital of Ostrava, Ostrava University, Ostrava, Czech Republic (M.B., M.R., D.Š.); Faculty of Mechanical Engineering (R.F.) and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (L.L.), Vysoká Škola Báňská-Technical University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic; and Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Ostrava University, Ostrava, Czech Republic (H.T.).
authors: Hana
authors: H
authors: Tomášková
authors: Department of Neurology and Faculty of Medicine, Faculty Hospital of Ostrava, Ostrava University, Ostrava, Czech Republic (M.B., M.R., D.Š.); Faculty of Mechanical Engineering (R.F.) and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (L.L.), Vysoká Škola Báňská-Technical University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic; and Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Ostrava University, Ostrava, Czech Republic (H.T.).
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Školoudík
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D020521:Stroke / Q000209:etiology; D014463:Ultrasonography
keywords: 3-dimensional sonography; atherosclerotic plaque; inter-rater reliability; vascular ultrasound; volume