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Carotid Artery Stiffness Assessment by Ultrafast Ultrasound Imaging: Feasibility and Potential Influencing Factors
Author(s) -
Pan Fushun,
Yu Liang,
Luo Jia,
Wu Ridong,
Xu Ming,
Liang Jinyu,
Zheng Yanling,
Xie Xiaoyan
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of ultrasound in medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.574
H-Index - 91
eISSN - 1550-9613
pISSN - 0278-4297
DOI - 10.1002/jum.14630
Subject(s) - medicine , arterial stiffness , systole , pulse wave velocity , cardiology , ultrasound , ultrashort pulse , diastole , carotid arteries , radiology , blood pressure , physics , optics , laser
Objectives To evaluate the feasibility of the ultrafast ultrasound pulsed wave velocity (PWV) for carotid stiffness assessment and potential influencing factors. Methods Ultrafast PWV measurements of 442 carotid arteries in 162 consecutive patients (patient group) and 66 healthy volunteers (control group) were performed. High‐ and very high‐frequency transducers were used in 110 carotid segments. The ultrafast PWVs at the beginning and end of systole were automatically measured. The correlations between the intima‐media thickness (IMT) and ultrafast PWV and the equipment and carotid factors influencing the utility of ultrafast PWV were analyzed. Results Each ultrafast PWV acquisition was completed within 1 minute. The intraobserver variability showed mean differences ± SD of 0.12 ± 1.28 m/s for the PWV before systole and 0.06 ± 1.30 m/s for the PWV at the end of systole. Ultrafast PWV measurements were more likely obtained with the very high‐ frequency transducer when the IMT was less than 1.5 mm ( P < .05). A generalized linear mixed‐effects model analysis showed that the very high‐frequency transducer had a greater ability to obtain a valid carotid ultrafast PWV measurement with an IMT of less than 1.5 mm ( P < .05). The IMT was positively correlated with the PWV before systole and at the end of systole ( r = 0.207–0.771; all P < .05) in the control group, patient group, and carotid subgroup with an IMT of less than 1.5 mm. A multiple regression analysis showed that the IMT and plaque were important independent factors in predicting failure of the ultrafast PWV ( P < .001). Conclusions The ultrafast PWV is an effective and user‐friendly method for evaluating carotid stiffness. The IMT and transducer type are factors influencing the ability to obtain an ultrafast PWV measurement.