Diagnostic imaging techniques for atherosclerosis
arterial disease, PAD
PAD, ARTERIAL DISEASE, PLAQUE
A: Carotid Doppler ultrasound, for the measurement of carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT): CIMT is defined as a low-level echo gray band that does not project into the arterial lumen. CIMT was measured during the diastolic phase as the distance between the leading edge of the first and second echogenic lines of the far walls of the distal segment of the common carotid artery, the carotid bifurcation, and the internal using superficial multifrequency linear array transducer [5–8 MHz] with a sonographic apparatus [Aplio 500 Canon medical system, Japan]. CIMT tests were done on artery segments devoid of plaque. To eliminate examiner bias, all examinations and measures have been conducted by the same examiner. Age-dependent normal range is used as the reference for CIMT. The identification of a carotid atherosclerotic plaque is defined as a focal IMT of 50% or > 0.5 mm relative to the adjacent artery wall, or an absolute IMT of > 1.5 mm [B: Evaluation of ankle/brachial BP index utilizing blood pressure cuff Doppler pulse volume recording (PVR) ultrasound. Grayscale duplex Doppler is used to map arterial disease and to solve problems.The index is a ratio of the pressure in the highest ankle artery / the highest brachial artery.1.0–1.4: normal0.91–0.99 borderline ≤ 0.9: abnormal (i.e., PAD)0.4 to 0.9: moderate to mild PAD < 0.4: indicative of severe PAD