Carotid stiffness and atherosclerotic risk: non-invasive quantification with ultrafast ultrasound pulse wave velocity

• Published in: European radiology Vol. 29; no. 3; pp. 1507 - 1517
• Main Authors: Zhu, Zheng-Qiu, Chen, Ling-Shan, Wang, Han, Liu, Fu-Ming, Luan, Yun, Wu, Lin-Lin, Liu, Niu, Wang, Pin, Huang, Hui
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.03.2019; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Adults; Age; Age Factors; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Arteriosclerosis; Atherosclerosis; Atherosclerosis - diagnostic imaging; Atherosclerosis - physiopathology; Carotid Arteries - diagnostic imaging; Carotid Arteries - physiopathology; Carotid Artery Diseases - diagnostic imaging; Carotid Artery Diseases - physiopathology; Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; Correlation analysis; Diagnostic Radiology; Early Diagnosis; Female; Humans; Imaging; Internal Medicine; Interventional Radiology; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Neuroradiology; Patients; Prospective Studies; Pulse Wave Analysis; Radiology; Risk assessment; Risk Factors; Risk management; Stiffness; Subgroups; Systole; Ultrasonography; Ultrasound; Vascular Stiffness; Velocity; Wave velocity; Young Adult; Pulse wave velocity; Arterial stiffness; Carotid arteries; Atherosclerosis; Carotid intima-media thickness
• ISSN: 0938-7994; 1432-1084
• DOI: 10.1007/s00330-018-5705-7

Objectives To evaluate the value of ultrafast pulse wave velocity (ufPWV) for the quantitative assessment of carotid stiffness and its associated with atherosclerosis (AS) risk. Methods The present study included 233 patients with hyperlipoidaemia (AS risk group) and 114 healthy adults as the control group. The carotid ( n = 694) intima-media thickness (cIMT), pulse wave velocity-beginning of systole (PWV-BS) and pulse wave velocity-end of systole (PWV-ES) were measured on sample images. Differences, distributive characteristics and correlation evaluation were assessed in patients (ages 18–29, 30–39, 40–49, 50–59, 60–69 and ≥70) and carotids (control group vs AS risk group). Results The cIMT, PWV-BS and PWV-ES increased with age; PWV-ES and cIMT showed an early significant increase in the 30–39 years group, whereas PWV-BS displayed a significant increase at 40–49 years compared with the 18- to 29-years group. Besides, PWV-ES correlated well with age compared with PWV-BS and cIMT. For carotid level, cIMT, PWV-BS and PWV-ES measurements were higher in the AS risk group compared with control. To compare the value of ufPWV and cIMT in early AS assessment, we subdivided groups into cIMT subgroups using a cut-off thickness of 0.050 cm. PWV-ES measurements were higher in the AS risk group compared with the control in the 0.040–0.050 cm (not thickened) and 0.051–0.060 cm (thickened) cIMT subgroups. Conclusions Carotid ufPWV measurement at PWV-ES is a novel modality for the early diagnosis and quantitative assessment of arterial stiffness associated with atherosclerotic risk. Key Points • ufPWV technique is real-time and well repeatable for assessing carotid stiffness • ufPWV measurements increase and correlate well with age • PWV-ES is a quantitative predictor for the early assessment of AS