title: Contrast-Enhanced Quantitative Intravascular Elastography: The Impact of Microvasculature on Model-Based Elastography.
abstract: Model-based intravascular ultrasound elastography visualizes the stress distribution within vascular tissue-information that clinicians could use to predict the propensity of atherosclerotic plaque rupture. However, there are concerns that clusters of microvessels may reduce the accuracy of the estimated stress distribution. Consequently, we have developed a contrast-enhanced intravascular ultrasound system to investigate how plaque microvasculature affects the performance of model-based elastography. In simulations, diameters of 200, 400 and 800 μm were used, where the latter diameter represented a cluster of microvessels. In phantoms, we used a microvessel with a diameter of 750 μm. Peak stress errors of 3% and 38% were incurred in the fibrous cap when stress recovery was performed with and without a priori information about microvessel geometry. The results indicate that incorporating geometric information about plaque microvasculature obtained with contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging improves the accuracy of estimates of the stress distribution within the fibrous cap precisely.
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, Hajim School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Huntzicker
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, Hajim School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Himanshu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shekhar
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, Hajim School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, USA. Electronic address: m.doyley@rochester.edu.
authors.forename: Marvin M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Doyley
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D003287:Contrast Media; D023921:Coronary Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D055119:Elastic Modulus / Q000502:physiology; D054459:Elasticity Imaging Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D055806:Microvessels / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000502:physiology*; D008955:Models, Cardiovascular; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D033081:Shear Strength / Q000502:physiology; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media
keywords: Atherosclerosis; Intravascular ultrasound; Microvasculature; Model-based elastography; Stress imaging