Real‐time Measurement System for Evaluation of the Carotid Intima‐Media Thickness With a Robust Edge Operator

Objective. The purpose of this report is to describe an automatic real‐time system for evaluation of the carotid intima‐media thickness (CIMT) characterized by 3 main features: minimal interobserver and intraobserver variability, real‐time capabilities, and great robustness against noise. Methods. One hundred fifty carotid B‐mode ultrasound images were used to validate the system. Two skilled operators were involved in the analysis. Agreement with the gold standard, defined as the mean of 2 manual measurements of a skilled operator, and the interobserver and intraobserver variability were quantitatively evaluated by regression analysis and Bland‐Altman statistics. Results. The automatic measure of the CIMT showed a mean bias ± SD of 0.001 ± 0.035 mm toward the manual measurement. The intraobserver variability, evaluated with Bland‐Altman plots, showed a bias that was not significantly different from 0, whereas the SD of the differences was greater in the manual analysis (0.038 mm) than in the automatic analysis (0.006 mm). For interobserver variability, the automatic measurement had a bias that was not significantly different from 0, with a satisfactory SD of the differences (0.01 mm), whereas in the manual measurement, a little bias was present (0.012 mm), and the SD of the differences was noticeably greater (0.044 mm). Conclusions. The CIMT has been accepted as a noninvasive marker of early vascular alteration. At present, the manual approach is largely used to estimate CIMT values. However, that method is highly operator dependent and time‐consuming. For these reasons, we developed a new system for the CIMT measurement that conjugates precision with real‐time analysis, thus providing considerable advantages in clinical practice.     

Fully Automated Dual‐Snake Formulation for Carotid Intima‐Media Thickness Measurement

Automated computer‐aided detection systems for measurement of the carotid intima‐media thickness (IMT) are becoming popular. These systems yield lumen‐intima (LI) and media‐adventitia (MA) borders. In this work, we developed and validated a novel and patented completely automated IMT measurement system called carotid measurement using dual snakes (CMUDS): a class of AtheroEdge system (Global Biomedical Technologies, Inc, Roseville, CA). CMUDS is modeled as a dual parametric system corresponding to LI and MA borders with initialization from the far adventitia layer. The novelty of CMUDS is the first‐order absolute moment–based external energy, which provides stable deformation. The dual snakes evolve simultaneously and are forced to maintain a regularized distance to prevent collapsing or bleeding. Two independent readers manually traced the LI/MA boundaries of a multi‐institutional, multi‐ethnic, and multi‐scanner database of 665 longitudinal images for performance evaluation. CMUDS was also benchmarked against a previously developed automated technique. CMUDS correctly processed 660 images (99.2% success). The differences between the CMUDS and two manual IMT measurements (mean ± SD) were 0.013 ± 0.216 and ?0.021 ± 0.197 mm, respectively. The corresponding figures of merit for CMUDS compared to reader tracings were 98.4% and 97.5%. Compared to the previous technique (IMT differences, 0.022 ± 0.276 and ?0.012 ± 0.266 mm), CMUDS improved accuracy (Wilcoxon P < 0.009) and variability (Fisher P < 10^?8). Among different resolution images from original equipment manufacturer ultrasound scanners, CMUDS performed best with high‐resolution images corresponding to 0.0789 mm/pixel. Accuracy in IMT measurement with the proposed automated CMUDS technique makes this system adaptable to large multi‐center studies, in which such an IMT measurement system would be very useful tool.     

老老年患者颈动脉中层厚度的相关危险因素分析

目的：探讨老老年患者颈动脉中层厚度（IMT）及其相关危险因素的关系,为老老年患者心脑血管疾病的预防及治疗提供临床参考。方法：根据年龄将139例老老年患者纳入分析,有血糖、血压、血脂代谢紊乱的123例作为观察组,无血糖、血压、血脂代谢紊乱的16例作为对照组,分别进行颈动脉超声检查、动态血压监测、糖化血红蛋白及血脂等生化指标检查,并结合临床资料进行分析。结果：老老年患者均无一例外地存在着IMT增厚,在相同的年龄情况下,吸烟史、血脂紊乱、糖调节异常、血管炎症反应与IMT的增厚呈正相关,各组未显示出统计学差异,IMT的发生发展与年龄、性别、吸烟史、血糖、血压控制水平及血脂紊乱等因素在两组对照中均未显示出统计学差异,多因素Logistic回归分析,显示年龄、吸烟史及病程为危险因素（OR为0.500～1.196）。结论：老老年患者均不同程度地存在着IMT增厚,其中增龄是其最主要的危险因素,但是对合并有血糖、血压、血脂代谢紊乱的老老年患者也应该积极重视对各种危险因素的筛选和干预,特别在疾病发生发展的早期可能对延缓病变的进展和减少心脑血管事件有一定意义,可是其用药的安全性在该类患者就显得尤为重要。     

超声检测在颈动脉内-中膜厚度及粥样硬化中的临床应用

目的:探讨颈动脉内中膜厚度(intimamediathickness,IMT)及粥样斑块高频超声检测的价值。方法:用高频超声测量58例冠心病(其中4例合并脑梗死)患者和30例体检正常对照组颈动脉IMT及粥样硬化斑块,并对粥样斑块进行定量分析。结果:颈动脉IMT心肌缺血组(0.94±0.13)mm和心肌梗死组(1.14±0.15)mm较对照组(0.67±0.12)mm明显增厚(P<0.01);冠心病组均检出不同程度的粥样硬化斑块,并随病情严重程度的加重而增多,对照组中亦有3例检出1级粥样斑块。结论:高频超声检测颈动脉IMT及粥样硬化斑块,有助于临床及时发现血管病变,预防心肌梗死和脑梗死的发生,具有良好的临床应用价值。     

Assessment of Carotid Stiffness and Intima‐Media Thickness From Ultrasound Data

Objective. Increased arterial stiffness and carotid intima‐media thickness (IMT) are considered independent predictors of cardiovascular events. The aim of this study was to compare a system recently developed in our laboratory for automatic assessment of these parameters from ultrasound image sequences to a reference radio frequency (RF) echo‐tracking system. Methods. Common carotid artery scans of 21 patients with cardiovascular risk factors and 12 healthy volunteers were analyzed by both devices for the assessment of diameter (D), IMT, and distension (ΔD). In the healthy volunteers, analyses were repeated twice to evaluate intraobserver variability. Agreement was evaluated by Bland‐Altman analysis, whereas reproducibility was expressed as a coefficient of variation (CV). Results. Regarding the agreement between the two systems, bias values ± SD were 0.060 ± 0.110 mm for D, –0.006 ± 0.039 mm for IMT, and –0.016 ± 0.039 mm for ΔD. Intraobserver CVs were 2% ± 2% for D, 5% ± 5% for IMT, and 6% ± 6% for ΔD with the RF echo‐tracking system and 2% ± 1% for D, 6% ± 6% for IMT, and 8% ± 6% for ΔD with our automated system. Conclusions. Although B‐mode‐based devices are less precise than RF‐based ones, our automated system has good agreement with the reference method and comparable reproducibility, at least when high‐quality images are analyzed. Hence, this study suggests that the presented system based on image processing from standard ultrasound scans is a suitable device for measuring IMT and local arterial stiffness parameters in clinical studies.     

颈动脉粥样硬化斑块危险因素分析

目的探讨颈动脉粥样硬化斑块形成的相关危险因素。方法 142例意识清楚的脑梗死患者和78例非脑血管病患者(对照组)的颈动脉行彩色Doppler超声检查。结果脑梗死组颈动脉粥样硬化斑块检出率64.8%,对照组检出率28.0%(P<0.01)。Logistic回归分析显示,年龄、高血压、糖尿病与颈动脉粥样硬化斑块形成相关(P<0.01)。结论颈动脉粥样硬化斑块形成是脑梗死的危险因素,年龄、高血压、糖尿病与颈动脉粥样硬化斑块形成有关。     

2型糖尿病患者血清VEGF水平与颈动脉内膜中层厚度的关系

目的探讨2型糖尿病患者血清血管内皮生长因子（vascular endothelia growth factor;VEGF）水平与颈动脉内膜中层厚度（intima-media thickness,IMT）的关系。方法采用双抗体夹心ELISA法检测2型糖尿病患者83例（其中IMT正常组42例、IMT升高组41例）及糖耐量正常者58例（正常对照组）血清中VEGF的含量。结果糖尿病患者IMT升高组血清VEGF水平为（698.78±158.34）ng.L-1,明显高于IMT正常组（467.56±121.31）ng.L-1（P〈0.05）,且二者又明显高于正常对照组（292.37±96.56）ng.L-1（P〈0.05）。结论 2型糖尿病患者血清VEGF水平可能成为临床上一种新的反映糖尿病大血管病变的早期敏感指标之一。     

阿托伐他汀对冠心病患者颈动脉内-中膜厚度及背向散射积分的影响

目的 利用高频超声观察冠心病（CAD）患者，经阿托伐他汀治疗后对颈动脉内中膜厚度（IMT）、背向散射积分（IBS）的改善作用。 方法经冠状动脉造影（CAG）确诊为CAD并伴有颈动脉粥样硬化患者59例患者，利用高频超声血管技术检测阿托伐他汀对CAD患者治疗前后颈动脉最厚处和最薄处IMT、不同性质斑块的IBS的疗效。 结果阿托伐他汀组治疗2年后，冠心病患者颈动脉IMT最厚处和最薄处与治疗前相比均无显著性改变（P＞0．05）；脂质型斑块IBS增高，与治疗前相比差异有显著性（P＜0．05）；纤维型、钙化型斑块与治疗前相比无显著性差异（P＞0．05）；常规治疗组治疗2年后，颈动脉IMT最厚处与治疗前相比无显著性改变（P＞0．05），IMT最薄处显著增厚（P＜0．05）；脂质型、纤维型及钙化型斑块IBS与治疗前相比均无显著性差异（P＞0．05）；与阿托伐他汀组治疗后及对照组相比差异有显著性（P＜0．05）。 结论阿托伐他汀具有稳定斑块、延缓粥样硬化斑块进展的作用。     

The Effect of Puerarin on Carotid Intima-media Thickness in Patients With Active Rheumatoid Arthritis: ARandomized Controlled Trial

Purpose

Cardiovascular and diabetic complications are the main causes of death in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Puerarin has potential protective effects against subclinical atherosclerosis and insulin resistance, but the clinical evidence is still not sufficient to draw definitive conclusions. Therefore, we performed the clinical trial to assess the effect of puerarin on carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) in RA.

国人颈动脉内膜-中膜厚度与心血管疾病的相关性研究

目的：探讨颈动脉内膜－中膜厚度（IMT）在心血管疾病中的意义。方法：对一组男性心血管疾病易患人群（358例）进行常规体检，包括心血管疾病及其危险因素的调查；同时应用血管超声技术测量双侧颈总动脉、分叉处及颈内动脉后壁IMT。采用相关分析及多元线性回归方程分析颈动脉IMT与心血管疾病及其危险因素之间的关系。结果：颈动脉IMT与年龄、血压及血糖呈正相关，与开始吸烟年龄呈负相关。进一步研究表明高血压病、糖尿病及心肌梗塞、脑卒中患者的IMT值显著高于其各自对照组（P＜0．05），而心绞痛患者颈动脉IMT值虽然高于对照组，但差异无显著性意义（P＞0．05）。结论：超声检测颈动脉IMT可作为监测心血管疾病发生及发展的一项有意义的指标。     

代谢综合征患者颈动脉内中膜厚度与PAI-1的关系

目的观察代谢综合征(MS)患者颈动脉内中膜厚度(IMT)与血浆纤溶酶原激活物抑制物-1(PAI-1)的关系。方法根据NCEP-ATPⅢ的MS诊断标准,323例住院患者分为MS组(160例)和非MS组(163例),采用ELISA法测定血浆PAI-1水平,应用高频多普勒超声检测颈动脉IMT及颈动脉粥样硬化斑块。结果MS组的PAI-1水平为(30.52±11.02)ng/ml,颈动脉IMT为(0.92±0.21)mm,粥样斑块发生率为63.1%,而非MS组分别为(26.57±11.09)ng/ml、(0.86±0.20)mm和49.1%,两组间差异有显著性意义(P<0.05～0.01),其中颈动脉IMT及粥样斑块发生率随着MS诊断条件数的增加而逐渐增加,差异有显著性意义(P<0.05)。多元逐步回归分析显示,PAI-1与颈动脉IMT独立相关(标准化回归系数β=0.105,P<0.05)。结论MS患者易引起颈动脉粥样硬化,PAI-1可能与动脉粥样硬化密切相关。     

彩超对颈动脉粥样硬化与缺血性脑血管疾病的研究

目的 :研究颈动脉粥样硬化与缺血性脑血管疾病的关系。方法 :彩超检查 1 4 0例缺血性脑血管疾病患者的颈动脉 ,测量血管的直径、内 -中膜的厚度 (intima- media thickness,IMT) ,血流的速度等参数 ,观察斑块的有无及形成情况 ,并检查 1 0 0例健康志愿者作为对照组。结果 :1 4 0例缺血性脑血管疾病患者中 ,颈动脉有粥样硬化、血管重构、IMT增厚、斑块形成、管腔狭窄等血管异常者占 1 2 0例 ,检出率达 85.7% ;对照组中有 IMT增厚和软斑形成 1 7例 ,检出率为 1 7.0 % ,二者比较有显著差异 (P<0 .0 1 )。结论 :缺血性脑血管疾病和颈动脉粥样硬化存在着线性关系 ;高分辨率彩超诊断技术 ,对颈动脉粥样硬化检出预报和疗效的观察、评价有重要意义