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Current Medical Imaging

Editor-in-Chief

ISSN (Print): 1573-4056
ISSN (Online): 1875-6603

Research Article

Feasibility Study of Combining Wall Shear Stress and Elastography to Assess the Vascular Status of Carotid Artery

Author(s): Wenjing Gao, Yinghui Dong, Shaofu Hong, Di Song, Mengmeng Liu, Zhanghong Wei, Yigang Du, Shuangshuang Li, Jinfeng Xu* and Fajin Dong

Volume 20, 2024

Published on: 04 May, 2023

Article ID: e270323214999 Pages: 7

DOI: 10.2174/1573405620666230327125840

open_access

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Abstract

Introduction: At present, early detection of the potential risk of atherosclerosis and prevention is of great significance to reduce the occurrence of stroke.

Aim: This study aims to explore the value of combining the wall shear stress measured by ultrasound vector flow imaging technique and sound touch elastography of common carotid artery in normal adults using the Mindray Resona 7 ultrasound system.

Methods: Forty volunteers (mean age 39.5 y, 23 females, 17 males) were divided into four groups according to their age. All volunteers underwent ultrasound carotid artery examination, and the values of wall shear stress and elasticity on the posterior wall of the common carotid artery were measured using advanced imaging functions, vector flow imaging technique, and sound touch elastography.

Results: Different cut-off values of wall shear stress were used to investigate the significance between two groups with corresponding sound touch elastography values. It can be seen that the statistical difference could be found when the mean wall shear stress was larger than 1.5 Pa approximately (statistical significance was defined when P < 0.05), and the sound touch elastography value was positively correlated with the wall shear stress value.

Conclusion: This study reveals that the combination of wall shear stress and sound touch elastography is an effective and feasible method for assessing carotid artery health. When the mean wall shear stress value is over 1.5 Pa, the corresponding sound touch elastography value increases significantly. The risk of atherosclerosis increases with the stiffness of blood vessel walls.

Keywords: Wall shear stress, Elastography, Atherosclerosis, Ultrasound, Carotid artery, Stroke.

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