Key result
Non-invasive ultrasound-based methods, including flow-mediated dilation and carotid plaque analysis, are promising techniques for evaluating endothelial dysfunction and generalized atherosclerosis.
This review summarizes non-invasive ultrasound techniques for atherosclerosis imaging, noting that routine intima-media thickness measurement is not recommended for individual risk assessment.
May reinforce guideline caution on routine IMT use; leaves carotid plaque techniques open for prospective validation.
Early detection of vascular damage in atherosclerosis and accurate assessment of cardiovascular risk factors are the basis for appropriate treatment strategies in cardiovascular medicine. The current review focuses on non-invasive ultrasound-based methods for imaging of atherosclerosis. Endothelial dysfunction is an accepted early manifestation of atherosclerosis. The most widely used technique to study endothelial function is non-invasive, flow-mediated dilation of the brachial artery under high-resolution ultrasound imaging. Although an increased intima-media thickness value is associated with future cardiovascular events in several large population studies, systematic use is not recommended in clinical practice for risk assessment of individual persons. Carotid plaque analysis with grey-scale median, 3-D ultrasound or contrast-enhanced ultrasound are promising techniques for further scientific work in prevention and therapy of generalized atherosclerosis.
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Kaspar et al. (2018) conducted a review in Atherosclerosis. Non-invasive ultrasound-based imaging was evaluated. Non-invasive ultrasound-based methods, including flow-mediated dilation and carotid plaque analysis, are promising techniques for evaluating endothelial dysfunction and generalized atherosclerosis.
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