Contrast-Enhanced Quantitative Intravascular Elastography: The Impact of Microvasculature on Model-Based Elastography

Steven Huntzicker, Himanshu Shekhar, Marvin M. Doyley
2016 Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology  
Model-based intravascular ultrasound elastography visualizes the stress distribution within vascular tissue -information that clinicians could use to predict the propensity of atherosclerotic plaque rupture. However, there are concerns that clusters of microvessels may reduce the accuracy of the estimated stress distribution. Consequently, we have developed a contrast-enhanced intravascular ultrasound system to investigate how plaque microvasculature impacts the performance of model-based
more » ... graphy. In simulations diameters of 200,400, and 800 microns were used, where the latter diameter represented a cluster of microvessels. In phantoms, we used a microvessel with diameter of 750 microns. Peak stress errors of 3% and 38% were incurred in the fibrous cap when stress recovery was performed with and without a priori information about microvessels geometry. The results demonstrate that incorporating geometrical information about plaque microvasculature obtained with contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging improves the accuracy of estimates of the stress distribution within the fibrous cap precisely.
doi:10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2015.12.024 pmid:26924697 pmcid:PMC4811726 fatcat:yondgel2n5ghrecnom22hbzg5q