Ultraschall Med 2013; 34 - PS1_05
DOI: 10.1055/s-0033-1355023

Estimation of methods for measuring the volume of atherosclerotic plaque according by 3D-ultrasound

MV Koshurnikova 1, TV Balakhonova 1, MI Tripoten 2, AN Rogoza 2, YA Karpov 2
  • 1Russian Cardiology Research Center, Department of New Methods of Diagnostics and Investigation, Laboratory of Vascular Ultrasound, Moscow, Russian Federation
  • 2Russian Cardiology Research Center, Moscow, Russian Federation

Purpose: According to foreign clinical studies the volume of atherosclerotic plaque (ASP) – a more accurate parameter to evaluate the prognosis of cardiovascular disease compared to a conventional ultrasound, such as the percentage of stenosis. The purpose of this study was to investigate interobserver reproducibility of methods for determining the volume of ASP by a three-dimensional ultrasound scanning.

Material and methods: The study included 20 heterogeneous ASP with a smooth surface, identified by duplex scanning of the carotid and femoral arteries, by ultrasound scanner Philips iU-22 (3D mechanical sensor VL13 – 5).

Results: Measurement of the volume of plaque using two methods – “contour” (20 ASP) and “ellipse” (13 ASP) performed by two operators independently of each other. Interobserver reproducibility of the measurement of plaque volume by the “contour” and by the “ellipse” methods in semi-automatic mode is 8.2% and 7.7%, respectively. Bland-Altman analysis of the differences of the mean values of the ASP volume, in assessing by two methods, has shown that the values obtained are comparable (CV 5.9%).

Conclusion: Methods of “contour” and “ellipse” in measurement of the volume of the plaque in the semi-automatic mode by 3D ultrasound are comparable, well reproducibility and can be used in clinical practice.