Dataset Information

High-frame rate vector flow imaging of the carotid bifurcation.

ABSTRACT: Carotid artery atherosclerotic disease is still a significant cause of cerebrovascular morbidity and mortality. A new angle-independent technique, measuring and visualizing blood flow velocities in all directions, called vector flow imaging (VFI) is becoming available from several vendors. VFI can provide more intuitive and quantitative imaging of vortex formation, which is not clearly distinguishable in the color Doppler image. VFI, as quantitative method assessing disturbed flow patterns of the carotid bifurcation, has the potential to allow better understanding of the diagnostic value of complex flow and to enhance risk stratification. This pictorial review article will show which new information VFI adds for the knowledge of hemodynamics in comparison to the conventional ultrasound techniques.

Teaching points

• VFI is an angle-independent technique measuring flow velocities in all directions. • This kind of VFI is based on a plane wave multidirectional excitation technique. • VFI allows quantitative assessment of carotid streamlines progression and visualizes vorticity. • VFI does not allow a precise comprehension of streamlines' 3D shape. • VFI allows a better understanding of carotid artery complex flows.

SUBMITTER: Goddi A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5438320 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

High-frame rate vector flow imaging of the carotid bifurcation.

Goddi Alfredo A Bortolotto Chandra C Fiorina Ilaria I Raciti Maria Vittoria MV Fanizza Marianna M Turpini Elena E Boffelli Giulia G Calliada Fabrizio F

Insights into imaging 20170512 3

Carotid artery atherosclerotic disease is still a significant cause of cerebrovascular morbidity and mortality. A new angle-independent technique, measuring and visualizing blood flow velocities in all directions, called vector flow imaging (VFI) is becoming available from several vendors. VFI can provide more intuitive and quantitative imaging of vortex formation, which is not clearly distinguishable in the color Doppler image. VFI, as quantitative method assessing disturbed flow patterns of th ...[more]

PMID: 28500487

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Project description:PurposeFlow instability has been shown to contribute to the risk of future cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events. Nonetheless, it is challenging to noninvasively detect and identify flow instability in blood vessels. Here, we present a new framework called Doppler ultrasound bandwidth imaging (DUBI) that uses high-frame-rate ultrasound and Doppler bandwidth analysis principles to assess flow instability within an image view.MethodsDoppler ultrasound bandwidth imaging seeks to estimate the instantaneous Doppler bandwidth based on autoregressive modeling at every pixel position of data frames acquired from high-frame-rate plane wave pulsing. This new framework is founded upon the principle that flow instability naturally gives rise to a wide range of flow velocities over a sample volume, and such velocity range in turn yields a larger Doppler bandwidth estimate. The ability for DUBI to map unstable flow was first tested over a range of fluid flow conditions (ranging from laminar to turbulent) with a nozzle-flow phantom. As a further demonstration, DUBI was applied to assess flow instability in healthy and stenosed carotid bifurcation phantoms.ResultsNozzle-flow phantom results showed that DUBI can effectively detect and visualize the difference in Doppler bandwidth magnitude (increased from 2.1 to 5.2 kHz) at stable and unstable flow regions in an image view. Receiver operating characteristic analysis also showed that DUBI can achieve optimal sensitivity and specificity of 0.72 and 0.83, respectively. In the carotid phantom experiments, differences were observed in the spatiotemporal dynamics of Doppler bandwidth over a cardiac cycle. Specifically, as the degree of stenosis increased (from 50% to 75%), DUBI showed an increase in Doppler bandwidth magnitude from 1.4 kHz in the healthy bifurcation to 7.7 kHz at the jet tail located downstream from a 75% stenosis site, thereby indicating flow perturbation in the stenosed bifurcations.ConclusionDUBI can detect unstable flow. This new technique can provide useful hemodynamic information that may aid clinical diagnosis of atherosclerosis.

Project description:Vulnerable carotid plaques are responsible for 20% of the ischemic strokes. The identification of these asymptomatic carotid plaques that will become symptomatic is essential but remains unclear. Our main goal was to investigate whether the amount of the peri-carotid adipose tissue, estimated by the extra-media thickness (EMT), is associated with the atherosclerotic characteristics at the carotid bifurcation in patients with PAD. An observational, prospective, single-center, longitudinal study was conducted. Overall, 177 patients were subjected to carotid Doppler ultrasound at the study admission. The following data were collected: EMT, intima-media thickness (IMT), the presence of carotid plaques, the area of the highest plaque, the presence of "acute culprit" carotid stenosis, and the grade of internal carotid stenosis. "Acute culprit" carotid stenosis was defined as a significant atherosclerotic plaque that leads to a neurologic event within 15 days. From each carotid bifurcation, a right and a left EMT were determined. We analyzed both the mean EMTs (calculated as the mean between the right and the left EMT) and the EMT ipsilateral to the carotid bifurcation. The presence of carotid plaques was associated with a higher mean EMT [Median = 1.14; IQR = 0.66 versus Median = 0.97; IQR = 0.40; p = 0.001]. A positive correlation was found between the mean EMT and IMT (right: ρ = 0.20; p = 0.010; left: ρ = 0.21; p = 0.007) and between the mean EMT and the area of the largest carotid plaque (right: ρ = 0.17; p = 0.036; left: ρ = 0.22; p = 0.004). Left carotid stenosis ≥ 70% was associated with higher ipsilateral EMT [Median = 1.56; IQR = 0.70 versus Median = 0.94; IQR = 0.42; p = 0.009]. Patients with "acute culprit" carotid stenosis had a higher ipsilateral EMT [left ipsilateral EMT: Median = 1.46; IQR = 0.63; "non-acute": Median = 0.94; IQR = 0.43; p = 0.009; right ipsilateral EMT: Median = 2.25; IQR = 0.62; "non-acute": Median = 1.00; IQR = 0.51; p = 0.015]. This difference was not found in the contra-lateral EMT. Six months after the neurologic event, EMT ipsilateral to an "acute culprit" carotid stenosis decreased (p = 0.036). The amount of peri-carotid adipose tissue, estimated with EMT, was associated with atherosclerosis at the carotid arteries. The mean EMT was associated with the features of chronic atherosclerosis lesions: the presence of carotid plaques, IMT, and the area of the highest plaque. Ipsilateral EMT was linked with "acute culprit" atherosclerotic plaque.

Dataset Information

High-frame rate vector flow imaging of the carotid bifurcation.

Teaching points

Publications

High-frame rate vector flow imaging of the carotid bifurcation.

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