Annals of Vascular Surgery
Volume 20, Issue 2 , Pages 167-174 , March 2006

Noninvasive Identification of the Unstable Carotid Plaque

  • Brajesh K. Lal, MD

      Affiliations

    • Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA
    • Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorrespondence to: Brajesh K. Lal, MD, Department of Surgery, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-New Jersey Medical School, 185 South Orange Avenue, MSB-H570, Newark, NJ 07101-7190, USA
    • ,
  • Robert W. Hobson II, MD

      Affiliations

    • Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA
    • Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA
    • ,
  • Meera Hameed, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Pathology, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA
    • ,
  • Peter J. Pappas, MD

      Affiliations

    • Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA
    • Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA
    • ,
  • Frank T. Padberg Jr., MD

      Affiliations

    • Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA
    • ,
  • Zafar Jamil, MD

      Affiliations

    • Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA
    • ,
  • Walter N. Durán, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA
    • Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA

REFERENCES 

  1. Feeley TM , Leen EJ , Colgan MP , Moore DJ , Hourihane DO , Shanik GD . Histologic characteristics of carotid artery plaque . J Vase Surg . 1991;13:719–724
  2. Bassiouny HS , Sakaguchi Y , Mikucki SA , et al.   Juxtalumenal location of plaque necrosis and neoformation in symptomatic carotid stenosis . J Vasc Surg . 1997;26:585–594
  3. Carr S , Farb A , Pearce WH , Virmani R , Yao JS . Atherosclerotic plaque rupture in symptomatic carotid artery stenosis . J Vase Surg . 1996;23:755–756
  4. Park AE , McCarthy WJ , Pearce WH , Matsumura JS , Yao JS . Carotid plaque morphology correlates with presenting symptomatology . J Vase Surg . 1998;27:872–879
  5. Avril G , Batt M , Guidoin R , et al.   Carotid endarterectomy plaques: correlations of clinical and anatomic findings . Ann Vase Surg . 1991;5:50–54
  6. Stary HC , Chandler AB , Dinsmore RE , et al.   A definition of advanced types of atherosclerotic lesions and a histological classification of atherosclerosis. A report from the Committee on Vascular Lesions of the Council on Arteriosclerosis, American Heart Association . Arterioscler Thromb Vase Biol . 1995;15:1512–1531
  7. Carr SC , Cheanvechai V , Virmani R , Pearce WH . Histology and clinical significance of the carotid atherosclerotic plaque: implications for endovascular treatment . J Endovasc Surg . 1997;4:321–325
  8. Ohki T , Marin ML , Lyon RT , et al.   Ex vivo human carotid artery bifurcation stenting: correlation of lesion characteristics with embolic potential . J Vasc Surg . 1998;27:463–471
  9. Barnett HJ , Eliasziw M , Meldrum H . Plaque morphology as a risk factor for stroke . JAMA . 2000;284:177
  10. Faught WE , Mattos MA , van Bemmelen PS , et al.   Color-flow duplex scanning of carotid arteries: new velocity criteria based on receiver operator characteristic analysis for threshold stenoses used in the symptomatic and asymptomatic carotid trials . J Vasc Surg . 1994;19:818–827
  11. Goes E , Janssens W , Maillet B , Freson M , Steyaert L , Osteaux M . Tissue characterization of atheromatous plaques: correlation between ultrasound image and histological findings . J Clin Ultrasound . 1990;18:611–617
  12. Gray-Weale AC , Graham JC , Burnett JR , Byrne K , Lusby RJ . Carotid artery atheroma: comparison of preoperative B-mode ultrasound appearance with carotid endarterectomy specimen pathology . J Cardiovasc Surg (Torino) . 1988;29:676–681
  13. Reilly LM , Lusby RJ , Hughes L , Ferrell LD , Stoney RJ , Ehrenfeld WK . Carotid plaque histology using real-time ultrasonography. Clinical and therapeutic implications . Am J Surg . 1983;146:188–193
  14. Urbani MP , Picano E , Parenti G , et al.   In vivo radiofre-quency-based ultrasonic tissue characterization of the atherosclerotic plaque . Stroke . 1993;24:1507–1512
  15. Iannuzzi A , Wilcosky T , Mercuri M , Rubba P , Bryan FA , Bond MG . Ultrasonographic correlates of carotid atherosclerosis in transient ischemic attack and stroke . Stroke . 1995;26:614–619
  16. Belcaro G , Laurora G , Cesarone MR , et al.   Ultrasonic classification of carotid plaques causing less than 60% stenosis according to ultrasound morphology and events . J Cardiovasc Surg (Torino) . 1993;34:287–294
  17. Biasi GM , Mingazzini PM , Baronio L , et al.   Carotid plaque characterization using digital image processing and its potential in future studies of carotid endarterectomy and angioplasty . J Endovasc Surg . 1998;5:240–246
  18. el-Barghouty N , Nicolaides A , Bahal V , Geroulakos G , Androulakis A . The identification of the high risk carotid plaque . Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg . 1996;11:470–478
  19. Sabetai MM , Tegos TJ , Clifford C , et al.   Carotid plaque echogenicity and types of silent CT brain infarcts. Is there an association in patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis? . Int Angiol . 2001;20:51–57
  20. Lal BK , Hobson RW , Pappas PJ , et al.   Pixel distribution analysis of B-mode ultrasound scan images predicts histologic features of atherosclerotic carotid plaques . J Vasc Surg . 2002;35:1210–1217
  21. Beneficial effect of carotid endarterectomy in symptomatic patients with high-grade carotid stenosis. North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial Collaborators . N Engl J Med . 1991;325:445–453
  22. Barnett HJ , Taylor DW , Eliasziw M , et al.   Benefit of carotid endarterectomy in patients with symptomatic moderate or severe stenosis. North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial Collaborators . N Engl J Med . 1998;339:1415–1425
  23. Executive Committee for the Asymptomatic Carotid Atherosclerosis Study Endarterectomy for asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis . JAMA . 1995;273:1421–1428
  24. Barnett HJ , Meldrum HE , Eliasziw M . The dilemma of surgical treatment for patients with asymptomatic carotid disease . Ann Intern Med . 1995;123:723–725
  25. Stary HC , Chandler AB , Glagov S , et al.   A definition of initial, fatty streak, and intermediate lesions of atherosclerosis. A report from the Committee on Vascular Lesions of the Council on Arteriosclerosis, American Heart Association . Circulation . 1994;89:2462–2478
  26. AbuRahma AF , Kyer PD , Robinson PA , Hannay RS . The correlation of ultrasonic carotid plaque morphology and carotid plaque hemorrhage: clinical implications . Surgery . 1998;124:721–728
  27. Lusby RJ , Ferrell LD , Ehrenfeld WK , Stoney RJ , Wylie EJ . Carotid plaque hemorrhage. Its role in production of cerebral ischemia . Arch Surg . 1982;117:1479–1488
  28. Geroulakos G , Hobson RW , Nicolaides A . Ultrasonographic carotid plaque morphology in predicting stroke risk . Br J Surg . 1996;83:582–587
  29. Biasi GM , Froio A , Diethrich EB , et al.   Carotid plaque echolucency increases the risk of stroke in carotid stenting: the Imaging in Carotid Angioplasty and Risk of Stroke (ICAROS) study . Circulation . 2004;110:756–762
  30. Tegos TJ , Kalomiris KJ , Sabetai MM , Kalodiki E , Nicolaides AN . Significance of sonographic tissue and surface characteristics of carotid plaques . AJNR Am J Neuroradiol . 2001;22:1605–1612

PII: S0890-5096(06)60027-7

doi: 10.1007/s10016-006-9000-8

Annals of Vascular Surgery
Volume 20, Issue 2 , Pages 167-174 , March 2006

Article Tools

* Image Usage & Resolution