Correlation between enhanced intensity of atherosclerotic plaque at contrast-enhanced ultrasonography and density of histological neovascularization
Correlation between enhanced intensity of atherosclerotic plaque at contrast-enhanced ultrasonography and density of histological neovascularization
复制标题
超声造影动脉粥样硬化斑块增强强度与组织学新生血管密度之间的相关性
DOI：
10.1007/s11596-013-1139-2
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发表时间：
2013-06-01
影响因子：
--
通讯作者：
Deng, You-bin
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Sun, Jie;Liu, Kun;Deng, You-bin
探讨超声造影评价动脉粥样硬化斑块新生血管的可行性及其与组织学表现的关系。以25只新西兰大白兔为研究对象，采用高胆固醇饮食联合主动脉球囊剥脱法建立大白兔腹主动脉粥样硬化斑块模型。模型诱导第16周行标准超声及超声造影检查。根据其在标准超声下的回声大小，将斑块分为回声斑块和泛光斑块。在纵剖面上测量斑块的最大厚度。时间强度曲线用于量化斑块增强强度。对动物实施安乐死，取腹主动脉进行CD31染色，评估动脉粥样硬化斑块新生血管密度。结果显示，超声造影增强斑块增强强度高，CD31染色新生血管密度高。动脉粥样硬化斑块的增强强度及其与管腔的比值与组织学新生血管密度有良好的相关性（r=0.75，P<0.001;r=0.68，P<0.001）。斑块最大厚度与新生血管密度无相关性（r=0.235，P=0.081）。这些结果表明，斑块增强强度及其与腹主动脉腔增强强度的比值可能比最大厚度更准确地评估斑块新生血管。我们的研究表明，超声造影为评估斑块新生血管提供了一种可靠的方法。
The feasibility of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography in the assessment of atherosclerotic plaque neovascularization and its relation to histological findings were investigated. Abdominal aortic atherosclerotic plaque model was induced in 25 New Zealand white rabbits by a combination of high cholesterol-rich diet and balloon aortic denudation. Standard and contrast-enhanced ultrasonography was performed at the 16th week of the model induction period. The plaques were classified as echogenic plaques or echolucent plaques according to their echogenicity at standard ultrasonography. The maximum thickness of plaque was measured in the longitudinal section. Time intensity curve was used to quantify the enhanced intensity of the plaque. Animals were euthanized and abdominal aortas were harvested for histological staining of CD31 to evaluate the neovascularization density of atherosclerotic plaque. The results showed that the echolucent plaques had higher enhanced intensity during contrastenhanced ultrasonography and higher neovascularization density at CD31 staining than the echogenic plaques. The enhanced intensity of atherosclerotic plaque and its ratio to lumen were well correlated with histological neovascularization density (r=0.75,P<0.001;r=0.68,P<0.001, respectively). However, the maximum thickness of plaque was not correlated with neovascularization density (r=0.235,P=0.081). These findings demonstrated that the enhanced intensity in the plaque and ratio of enhanced intensity to that in the lumen of abdominal aorta may be more accurate in the evaluation of plaque neovascularization than maximum thickness. Our study indicates that contrast-enhanced ultrasonography provides us a reliable method for the evaluation of plaque neovascularization.