Mapping Spatial and Temporal Changes in Carotid Atherosclerosis from Three-Dimensional Ultrasound Images

This study was designed to evaluate changes in carotid atherosclerosis using plaque and wall thickness maps derived from three-dimensional ultrasound (3DUS) images. Five subjects with carotid stenosis were scanned at baseline and 3 mo as part of a placebo-controlled intensive statin treatment study and three subjects with moderate atherosclerosis were scanned at baseline and again within 14 ± 2 d. 3DUS-derived vessel wall volume (VWV) was measured using manual segmentation to provide segmentation contours that were used to generate scan and rescan carotid atherosclerosis thickness maps and thickness difference maps. There was no significant difference in VWV between scan and rescan for the three subjects scanned twice in 2 wk or the single subject treated with placebo. There was a significant difference between scan and rescan VWV for carotid stenosis subjects treated with atorvastatin (p < 0.001). Carotid atherosclerosis thickness difference maps showed visual qualitative evidence of thickness changes in vessel wall and plaque thickness in the common carotid artery for all statin-treated subjects and no change in a placebo-treated subject and subjects scanned twice in 2 wk. Carotid atherosclerosis thickness difference maps generated from 3DUS images provide evidence of vessel wall and plaque thickness changes for all subjects assessed. (E-mail: gep@imaging.robarts.ca)