Abstract
Objective
Using shear wave elastography (SWE) and contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS)to examine
carotid plaques with different echoes, and explore a reliable method to quantify characteristics
associated with vulnerable carotid plaques.
Methods
2D ultrasound, SWE and CEUS were performed on 244 carotid plaques, and the echoes
were evaluated according to the Gray-Weale classification scale and gray-scale median
(GSM), and the mean Young's modulus (YM) of the plaque was measured and the intraplaque
neovascularization was observed to investigate the relationship between carotid plaque
types with different echo characteristics, GSM and the values of each parameter of
YM and CEUS. The relationship between GSM and YM and CEUS values was investigated.
Results
The differences between GSM values (F = 49.742, P < 0.001), with the maximum, mean, and minimum YM values of ultrasound elastography
(P < 0.001), and with the number (P < 0.001) and density (P = 0.047) of neovascularization on CEUS were statistically significant for the different
echogenic types of plaques, and the lower the echogenicity of the plaque, the lower
the GSM values (r = 0.632, P < 0.001), the smaller the YM values (all r > 0, P < 0.001), and the higher the neovascularization number and density values (r < 0, P < 0.001); and there were also statistically significant differences between the above
indicators in the vulnerable and stable plaque groups (all P < 0.05).
Conclusion
GSM, SWE, and CEUS techniques can quantitatively evaluate the vulnerability of different
echo carotid plaques in a more comprehensive and objective manner, which may help
clinical identification of vulnerable plaques, and provide important reference values
for early diagnosis and treatment in clinical practice.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: December 29, 2022
Accepted:
December 9,
2022
Received in revised form:
December 5,
2022
Received:
October 27,
2022
Identification
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2022.106941
Copyright
© 2022 Published by Elsevier Inc.
