Three-dimensional ultrasonographic evaluation of carotid artery plaque surface irregularity

Figures

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  Figure 1. Fifty-nine-year-old man with asymptomatic carotid artery plaque. A – A hyperechogenic type IV atheroma plaque (arrow) (with acoustic shadowing artifact) with regular surface is observed in the carotid bulb on 2D. B – 3D ultrasonographic image ICA – internal carotid artery, CCA – common carotid artery.

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  Figure 2. Sixty-one-year-old woman with asymptomatic carotid artery plaque. A – View of a type III, heterogeneous hyperechogenic atheroma plaque (arrow) with an irregular surface, located in the carotid bulb, as seen from the distal common carotid artery on the three-dimensional ultrasonographic image; B – plaque (arrow) with irregular surface in the carotid bulb and internal carotid artery are seen on the image obtained after volume sectioning procedure ICA – internal carotid artery, CCA – common carotid artery, ECA – external carotid artery.

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  Figure 3. Seventy-year-old man with asymptomatic carotid artery disease. a – A hypoechogenic type I atheroma plaque (asterisk) with a regular surface is observed in the common carotid artery on the multiplanar imaging; B – 3D ultrasonographic image

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  Figure 4. Seventy-one-year-old woman with asymptomatic carotid artery plaque. A – Hypoechogenic type II atheroma plaque with a smooth surface on the far wall of the common carotid artery on 2D ultrasonographic examination (longitudinal view); B – however, on 3D ultrasonographic imaging, an irregular plaque surface is observed (arrowheads)

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  Figure 5. Seventy-six-year-old man with asymptomatic carotid artery plaque. A – Calcified type V plaque (arrow) with a smooth surface on the far wall of the internal carotid artery is observed on 2D ultrasonographic (longitudinal view); B – 3D virtual arterioscopic image (arrowheads). Calcified plaques are observed on both images with posterior acoustic shadowing (asterisk)