Evaluation of the stability of carotid atherosclerotic plaque with contrast-enhanced ultrasound

• Published in: Journal of medical ultrasonics (2001) Vol. 43; no. 1; pp. 71 - 76
• Main Authors: Sun, Xiao-Feng, Wang, Jun, Wu, Xiao-Li, Xu, Hui-Ying, Xing, Ying-Qi, Yang, Fang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Tokyo Springer Japan 01.01.2016; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Atherosclerosis; Atherosclerotic plaque; Blood vessels; Carotid arteries; Carotid Artery Diseases - diagnostic imaging; Carotid Artery Diseases - pathology; Carotid Artery Diseases - physiopathology; Computed tomography; Contrast agents; Contrast Media; CT imaging; Digital audio tape; Female; Flow velocity; Humans; Image contrast; Image enhancement; Imaging; Independent sample; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Original Article; Patients; Plaque, Atherosclerotic - diagnostic imaging; Plaque, Atherosclerotic - pathology; Plaque, Atherosclerotic - physiopathology; Radiology; Spectrum analysis; Stability analysis; Stroke; Tomography; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Ultrasonic imaging; Ultrasonic testing; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial - methods; Ultrasound; Veins & arteries; United States > US; Germany; Microembolus signal (MES); Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS); Transcranial Doppler (TCD); Neovascularization; Carotid atheromatous plaque
• ISSN: 1346-4523; 1613-2254
• DOI: 10.1007/s10396-015-0647-z

Purpose The aim of this study is to determine the stability of carotid atherosclerotic plaque (CAP) using contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS). Methods CEUS images of 93 patients were evaluated to observe new vessels within CAPs. Microembolic signals (MES) were detected using transcranial Doppler (TCD). Thirty-four patients with hyperechoic plaques were evaluated as the control group. Results Eighty percent (75/93) of plaques showed contrast enhancement on CEUS, including 50.7 % (38/75) of hypoechoic plaques and 49.3 % (37/75) of mixed echoic plaques. No plaques in the control group showed enhancement on CEUS. With TCD, 35.5 % (33/93) of patients were positive for MES. Plaques with grade 2 or 3 enhancement on CEUS had a higher positive rate for MES. Forty-one patients with grade 2 or 3 enhancement on CEUS presented with fresh infarctions confirmed by computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Conclusions In conclusion, grade 2 or 3 contrast enhancement observed on CEUS indicated vulnerable plaques.