Artery Research

Volume 7, Issue 3-4, September 2013, Pages 162 - 162

1.3 SPATIAL INHOMOGENEITIES IN INTIMA-MEDIA THICKNESS OF THE COMMON CAROTID ARTERY ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE DEGREE OF STENOSIS IN THE INTERNAL CAROTID ARTERY

Authors
J. Steinbuch1, 4, M.T.B. Truijman2, 3, A.P.G. Hoeks1, 4, W.H. Mess3
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
2Department of Radiology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, Netherlands
3Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, Netherlands
4Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
Available Online 11 November 2013.
DOI
10.1016/j.artres.2013.10.004How to use a DOI?
Abstract

Objectives. Inhomogeneities of wall characteristics may relate to plaques in a nearby vessel. The aim of the present study is to investigate the association between spatial inhomogeneities of intima-media thickness (IMT) of the common carotid artery (CCA) and plaques in the internal carotid artery.

Methods. Longitudinal B-mode ultrasound examinations of CCA were performed bilaterally on 48 patients with a recent cerebrovascular accident. IMT of CCA and its IMT inhomogeneity, defined as IMT standard deviation along the artery segment, were extracted from the ultrasound images by use of semi-automated B-mode vessel wall tracking program. Degree of stenosis was categorised in three groups: less than 30%, 30–50% and 50–70% stenosis in the internal carotid artery.

Results. In total 88 arteries were examined (Table 1). Three patients and two arteries were excluded (incomplete data, extreme moving artery). Mean values and standard deviations of IMT and IMT inhomogeneity are shown in Table 1. There was no significant difference within groups in IMT and IMT inhomogeneity between both sides (Student t-test, p-value >0.05). However, a significant difference was found in the IMT inhomogeneity between the group with less than 30% stenosis and the group with 50–70% stenosis (ANOVA Bonferroni adjusted, p-value 0.016), whereas no significant difference was found in IMT between those groups.

Conclusion. Spatial IMT inhomogeneity of the CCA, but not mean IMT, is associated with the degree of stenosis in the ipsilateral internal carotid artery.

This research was supported by the Center for Translational Molecular Medicine and the Dutch Heart Foundation (PARISk).

Degree of stenosis N Age IMT [μm] Inhomogeneity IMT [μm]
<30% 26 67 ± 9 967 ± 177 135 ± 64
30–50% 39 68 ± 8 1003 ± 188 166 ± 100
50–70% 23 71 ± 8 1127 ± 399 235 ± 189
Table 1

Mean values ± standard deviations of IMT and IMT inhomogeneity.

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Journal
Artery Research
Volume-Issue
7 - 3-4
Pages
162 - 162
Publication Date
2013/11/11
ISSN (Online)
1876-4401
ISSN (Print)
1872-9312
DOI
10.1016/j.artres.2013.10.004How to use a DOI?
Open Access
This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC license.

Cite this article

TY  - JOUR
AU  - J. Steinbuch
AU  - M.T.B. Truijman
AU  - A.P.G. Hoeks
AU  - W.H. Mess
PY  - 2013
DA  - 2013/11/11
TI  - 1.3 SPATIAL INHOMOGENEITIES IN INTIMA-MEDIA THICKNESS OF THE COMMON CAROTID ARTERY ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE DEGREE OF STENOSIS IN THE INTERNAL CAROTID ARTERY
JO  - Artery Research
SP  - 162
EP  - 162
VL  - 7
IS  - 3-4
SN  - 1876-4401
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.artres.2013.10.004
DO  - 10.1016/j.artres.2013.10.004
ID  - Steinbuch2013
ER  -