Application of three-dimensional ultrasound vascular plaque quantitative analysis technology in diagnosis of carotid artery stenosis and plaque characteristics

  AIM   To explore the application of real-time 3D ultrasound (RT-3DU) vascular plaque quantification (VPQ) technology to diagnose carotid artery stenosis and plaque characteristics.

  METHODS   A retrospective analysis was made in 40 carotid plaque patients (57 carotid plaques in total) who underwent real-time three-dimensional ultrasound examination in our hospital from January 2020 to January 2021. Real-time three-dimensional ultrasound VPQ technology was used to detect carotid artery related parameters and arterial CT angiography was used to detect the degree of carotid artery stenosis. The consistency of the two methods for diagnosing carotid artery stenosis was compared and analyzed.

  RESULTS   In the 40 patients with carotid artery plaque, the thickness of the carotid artery intima-media was (1.33 ± 0.14)mm, the plaque echo intensity was (36.29 ± 7.51)dB and the NWI was (0.64 ± 0.18) and in the 57 carotid plaques, the block thickness was (3.6 ± 0.5) mm. The NWI of patients in the mild stenosis group, moderate stenosis group and severe stenosis group was significantly different (P<0.05). The NWI in the severe stenosis group was higher than that in the mild and moderate stenosis groups and the NWI in the moderate stenosis group was higher than that in the mild stenosis group (P<0.05). Nine mild stenosis, 43 moderate stenosis and 5 severe stenosis were diagnosed by real-time three-dimensional ultrasound VPQ examination in the local carotid lumen and 6 mild stenosis, 38 moderate degree stenosis and 13 severe stenosis were diagnosed by arterial CT angiography in the local carotid lumen. Real-time three-dimensional ultrasound VPQ and arterial CT angiography had a high consistency in the diagnosis of local carotid lumen stenosis (Kappa=0.819).

  CONCLUSION   For patients with carotid plaque, the application of real-time three-dimensional ultrasound VPQ technology can not only determine the degree of vascular stenosis, but can also quantitatively analyze the echo intensity of the plaque and the changes in the vascular load of the involved parts.