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VIEWPOINT

Contrast Ultrasound Imaging of the Carotid Artery Vasa Vasorum and Atherosclerotic Plaque Neovascularization

Rush Presbyterian St. Luke’s Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois.

Manuscript received June 13, 2005; revised manuscript received February 23, 2006, accepted February 28, 2006.

^_* Reprint requests and correspondence: Dr. Steven B. Feinstein, Rush Presbyterian St. Luke’s Medical Center, Medicine, 1750 West Harrison, 1015 Jelke, Chicago, Illinois 60612. (Email: sfeinste{at}rush.edu).

Cardiovascular disease is associated with the aging of the population, obesity, metabolic syndrome, and diabetes. Therefore, it is important to develop non-invasive imaging systems to detect "at-risk" populations. New data suggest that contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CU) imaging of the carotid arteries enhances luminal irregularities (i.e., ulcers and plaques), improves near-wall, carotid intima-media thickness, and uniquely permits direct, real-time visualization of neovasculature of the atherosclerotic plaque and associated adventitial vasa vasorum. With continued clinical investigation, CU imaging of the carotid artery may afford an effective means to non-invasively identify atherosclerosis in "at-risk" populations while providing new standard for therapeutic monitoring.

Abbreviations and Acronyms   c-IMT = carotid intima-media thickness   CU = contrast-enhanced ultrasound   MRI = magnetic resonance imaging

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