The study aimed to determine the normal range of the intima-media thickness that was measured in common carotid artery and carotid groove and evaluate the changes in measurement with age in 200 healthy adults (113 males, 87 females, from 15 to 93 years old) between August 1998 and December 1999. Results: On average, the intima-media thickness is 0.7+/-0.16 mm in common carotid artery and is 0.87+/-0.25 mm in carotid groove. There is not difference in the intima-media thickness of common carotid and carotid groove between left and right. The intima-media thickness of both common carotid artery and carotid groove is increased over age. There is a linear correlation between the intima-media thickness with age. The intima-media thickness of common carotid artery, but not of carotid groove, is higher in men than in women
ultrasonography ; Carotid Arteries

200 persons, average age is 59,27 (from 15-93) without vascular risk factors were studied by colour Duplex scanning. Results showed that average systolic velocity in common carotid arteries is 81,14 +/- 14,67 cm/s, average diastolic velocity is 23,27 +/- 5,15 cm/s, average diastolic velocity is 25,53 +/- 5,21 cm/s. Average systolic velocity in vertebral arteries is 42,58 +/- 7,73cm/s, average diastolic velocity is 14,68 +/- 3,63 cm/s. No statistic significantly difference of these parameters between men and women. No statistic difference of these parameters between right and left side. Systolic and diastolic velocities in common and internal carotid arteries decrease significantly with age. Other parameters do not change clearly with age
ultrasonography ; Carotid Arteries

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to examine the association between the common polymorphisms of the adiponectin gene(ACDC) and the intima-media thickness(IMT) of the common carotid arteries in type 2 diabetic patients. METHODS: The B mode ultrasound examination of carotid artery was performed on 133 type 2 diabetic patients. The carotid IMT was calculated using the Intimascope computer program. The SNP45 and SNP276 of the ACDC were examined. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the carotid IMT among the SNP45 genotypes(0.66+/-0.18mm for TT, 0.71+/-0.12mm for TG and 0.64+/-0.15mm for GG, P=NS). Subjects carrying the SNP276 GG genotype had a markedly lower serum adiponectin concentration than those carrying the TT genotype(3.35+/-2.00microgram/mL vs. 4.98+/-2.24microgram/mL, P=0.029) The carotid IMT was significantly higher in patients with the SNP276 GG genotype than those with the TT genotype (0.70+/-0.17mm vs. 0.59+/-0.13mm, P=0.032). Patients with the +45GG/+276GG genotype combination showed significantly higher mean carotid IMT than the other genotype combinations(0.78+/-0.09mm vs. 0.71+/-0.15mm, P=0.013) CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the adiponectin gene, SNP276 is associated with the carotid IMT in type 2 diabetic patients. Further studies are will be needed to confirm these genotypephenotype associations.
Adiponectin* ; Carotid Arteries* ; Carotid Artery, Common ; Genotype ; Humans ; Ultrasonography

Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography of the carotids has recently emerged as a complementary examination to conventional carotid Doppler ultrasonography. It is an examination providing improved visualization of the vascular lumen, more accurate and detailed delineation of the vascular wall, and identification of atherosclerotic plaques. Moreover, contrast-enhanced ultrasonography has specific advantages over conventional ultrasonography and plays an important role in the diagnosis of the vulnerable carotid plaque, as it can identify intraplaque neovascularization and carotid plaque ulceration. Given the specific advantages and improved imaging of the carotids provided by this method, radiologists should be familiar with it. This pictorial essay illustrates the advantages of this technique and discusses its value in the imaging of carotid arteries.
Carotid Arteries ; Carotid Stenosis ; Contrast Media ; Diagnosis ; Plaque, Atherosclerotic ; Ulcer ; Ultrasonography* ; Ultrasonography, Doppler ; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color

Carotid Doppler ultrasonography is a popular tool for evaluating atherosclerosis of the carotid artery. Its two-dimensional gray scale can be used for measuring the intima-media thickness, which is very good biomarker for atherosclerosis and can aid in plaque characterization. The plaque morphology is related to the risk of stroke. The ulceration of plaque is also known as one of the strong predictors of future embolic event risk. Color Doppler ultrasonography and pulse Doppler ultrasonography have been used for detecting carotid artery stenosis. Doppler ultrasonography has unique physical properties. The operator should be familiar with the physics and other parameters of Doppler ultrasonography to perform optimal Doppler ultrasonography studies.
Atherosclerosis ; Carotid Arteries ; Carotid Stenosis ; Plaque, Atherosclerotic ; Stroke ; Ulcer ; Ultrasonography ; Ultrasonography, Doppler* ; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color

BACKGROUND: Acute adaptive vascular remodeling occurs in active and unstable inflammatory plaques. It has been suggested that the adaptive coronary vascular remodeling, in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), may be systemic and may show similar vascular remodeling in the carotid arteries. We investigated the ultrasonographic features of the common carotid artery (CCA) to determine whether the arterial expansive remodeling found in the coronary artery occurs in the carotid arteries of patients with ACS. METHODS: We measured lumen diameter (LD), interadventitial diameter (IAD) and intima media thickness (IMT) using a B-mode ultrasound in both common carotid arteries in patients with ACS (N=74) and chronic stable angina (CSA) (N=31). Positive remodeling was arbitrarily defined as an IMTmax >1 mm and IAD >8 mm and negative remodeling as an IMTmax >1 mm and IAD <7 mm. Other values were defined as "no remodeling" RESULTS: There were no significant differences in LD IAD and maximal IMT of the right CCA and the left CCA in comparisons between the ACS and the CSA patient groups. There were no differences for number of cases with no remodeling or differences in positive and negative remodeling in the right common carotid artery and left common carotid artery in comparisons between the ACS and CSA patient groups. . Presence of plaque in both common carotid arteries showed similar frequency in the ACS and CSA patient groups. The characteristics of carotid artery plaques were not different in the two groups. The remodeling index (IAD/LD) was correlated with IMTmax (right CCA r=0.797, p<0.001; left CCA r=0.860, p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The common carotid arterial structure of ACS patients was not different from that of CSA patients. Therefore, these results suggest that the expansive arterial remodeling, due to coronary inflammatory plaques, appears to take place locally rather than systemically.
Acute Coronary Syndrome* ; Angina, Stable* ; Carotid Arteries* ; Carotid Artery, Common ; Carotid Stenosis ; Coronary Vessels ; Humans ; Ultrasonography

BACKGROUND: Prehypertension is a precursor of clinical hypertension and tends to increase in severity over time. Structural vascular changes have not been much investigated in adults with prehypertension. METHODS: We investigated the carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) in prehypertensive adults, pharmacologically untreated, compared with normotensive and hypertensive patients. Mean and maximum carotid IMT were obtained from six far walls of the common carotid, the bifurcation, and the internal carotid artery on both sides of the neck with high-resolution B-mode ultrasonography. RESULTS: Mean IMT was largest in the carotid bifurcation, followed by the common carotid and the internal carotid artery in all groups. Hypertensives had higher mean IMT values at all locations than normotensive controls. In prehypertensive adults, the mean and maximum IMT values were significantly higher than in normotensive controls. In contrast, there was no significant difference in the mean and maximum carotid IMT between prehypertensive adults and patients with stage 1 hypertension. The prevalence of plaques was 15.7% in prehypertensive adults, compared with 4.4% in controls, 22.2% in stage 1 hypertensives, and 29.4% in stage 2 hypertensives. CONCLUSION: Prehypertensive adults had thicker mean carotid IMT than normotensive controls and exhibited similarly abnormal carotid structure as the patients with stage 1 hypertension. These results suggest we need the continuous evaluation for early clinical detection and intervention of prehypertension.
Adult* ; Carotid Arteries ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Carotid Intima-Media Thickness* ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Neck ; Prehypertension ; Prevalence ; Ultrasonography

BACKGROUND: The present study was aimed at defining the topological characteristics of the carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) in hypertensives, and to delineate whether the characteristics were different from those of non-hypertensive vascular risk factors. METHODS: B-mode carotid ultrasonography was performed in 33 participants who were devoid of stroke, ischemic heart disease, and carotid plaques. Longitudinal carotid images were obtained at 6 angular sites, 0 degree indexed adjacent to the external carotid artery (ECA) side from axial image crossing both internal carotid artery (ICA) and ECA, and then 45 degrees, 90 degrees, 180 degrees, 225 degrees, and 270 degrees. From the level of the flow divider, with an interval of 5 mm, up to 15 mm proximally, all the carotid IMT was measured. The IMT was then analyzed according to the levels and angles and compared according to either of hypertension or non-hypertension vascular risk factors. RESULTS: The carotid IMT showed asymmetric distributions in both the hypertension and non-hypertension risk groups. The IMT difference according to hypertension was observed better in the right carotid artery than the left. The right carotid IMT in the hypertension group showed significantly higher values at the most levels, and especially at 0 degree and 180 degrees of angular sites. CONCLUSIONS: It is important to understand the different topological characteristics of the carotid IMT according to the presence of hypertension, for a better reproducibility and predictability of the ultrasonic carotid IMT measurement.
Carotid Arteries ; Carotid Artery, External ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Carotid Intima-Media Thickness* ; Hypertension ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Risk Factors ; Stroke ; Ultrasonics ; Ultrasonography

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The intima-media thickness (IMT) of the common carotid artery has been widely used as a good index of atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to test the correlation between the thickness of the high echogenicity intimal area (HELIT) on carotid ultrasound and the plaque burden of the culprit lesion on coronary intravascular ultrasound (IVUS). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: In 33 patients (M:F=20:13, mean age 63+/-8 yrs) that underwent coronary angiogram, the HELIT and IMT from carotid ultrasound were compared with the plaque burden of the culprit vessel on IVUS. The high echogenic layer of the intimal area (HELIA) on carotid ultrasound was defined as a thickened echogenic superficial layer at the far wall of the common carotid artery using 15 MHz linear array transducer. The plaque burden was defined as the maximal percent plaque area of the culprit lesion on IVUS. The HELIT and IMT ration was defined as the percent ratio of HELIT on IMT. RESULTS: The mean HELIT, carotid IMT, ratio of HELIT/IMT and maximal percent plaque area of the culprit lesion were 0.27+/-0.03 mm, 0.85+/-0.22 mm, 0.33+/-0.07 and 68.43+/-11%, respectively. The HELIT was closely related to the maximal percent plaque area on IVUS (r=0.34, p<0.05), but not to the other IVUS parameters or risk factors of CAD. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that the high echogenic layer of the intimal area on carotid ultrasound is predictive of the plaque burden in the culprit vessel.
Atherosclerosis ; Carotid Arteries* ; Carotid Artery, Common ; Coronary Artery Disease* ; Coronary Vessels* ; Humans ; Risk Factors ; Transducers ; Ultrasonography

BACKGROUND: Carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT) is an early structural marker of the atherosclerotic processes and an increased carotid IMT is a strong predictor of stroke. The measurement of carotid IMT is a useful non-invasive measure in risk stratification of ischemic stroke. The objective of the present study is to evaluate whether mea-surement of carotid IMT contributes to the prediction of large-artery atherosclesrotic cerebral infarction. METHODS: By TOAST classifications, 88 patients with ischemic stroke [67 with large-artery disease (LAD) and 21 with small-artery disease (SAD)] were selected from a stroke registry (2000.7~2001.7). Carotid IMT was defined as the mean of IMT measured by B-mode ultrasonography (12 MHz linear probe) at 10 sites of both distal common carotid arteries. The dif-ferences of carotid IMT were analyzed statistically between the LAD and SAD groups according to age or sex. RESULTS: The carotid IMT was 0.84+/-0.08 mm for the LAD and 0.77+/-0.04 mm for the SAD groups. There were no statistically significant differences (p > 0.05) of carotid IMT(total, age, sex) between the LAD and SAD groups. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, the carotid IMT was not associated with LAD as wells as SAD. However, with the increase in age, there is a tendency to increase the differences of carotid IMT between LAD and SAD groups.
Carotid Arteries* ; Carotid Artery, Common ; Cerebral Infarction* ; Classification ; Humans ; Stroke ; Ultrasonography