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Płoński A, Pawlak D, Płoński AF, Głowiński J, Madycki G, Pawlak K. Gray-Scale Median in Patients with Symptomatic and Asymptomatic Carotid Atherosclerosis-Risk Factors and Diagnostic Potential. Biomedicines 2024; 12:1594. [PMID: 39062167 PMCID: PMC11274489 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12071594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2024] [Revised: 06/24/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The identification of clinical factors affecting the gray-scale median (GSM) and determination of GSM diagnostic utility for differentiating between symptomatic and asymptomatic internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis. METHODS This study included 45 patients with asymptomatic and 40 patients with symptomatic ICA stenosis undergoing carotid endarterectomy (CEA). Echolucency of carotid plaque was determined using computerized techniques for the GSM analysis. Study groups were compared in terms of clinical risk factors, coexisting comorbidities, and used pharmacotherapy. RESULTS Mean GSM values in the symptomatic group were significantly lower than in the asymptomatic group (p < 0.001). Both in the univariate as well as in the multiple regression analysis, GSM was significantly correlated with D-dimers and fasting plasma glucose levels and tended to correlate with β-adrenoceptor antagonist use in the symptomatic group. In asymptomatic patients, GSM was associated with the presence of grade 2 and grade 3 hypertension, and tended to correlate with the use of metformin, sulfonylureas, and statin. Independent factors for GSM in this group remained as grade 3 hypertension and statin's therapy. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis revealed that GSM differentiated symptomatic from asymptomatic ICA stenosis with sensitivity and specificity of 73% and 80%, respectively. CONCLUSION The completely diverse clinical parameters may affect GSM in symptomatic and asymptomatic patients undergoing CEA, whose clinical characteristics were similar in terms of most of the compared parameters. GSM may be a clinically useful parameter for differentiating between symptomatic and asymptomatic ICA stenosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Płoński
- Department of Vascular Surgery and Transplantation, Medical University of Bialystok, 15-276 Bialystok, Poland; (A.P.); (A.F.P.); (J.G.)
| | - Dariusz Pawlak
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, Medical University of Bialystok, 15-222 Bialystok, Poland;
| | - Adam F. Płoński
- Department of Vascular Surgery and Transplantation, Medical University of Bialystok, 15-276 Bialystok, Poland; (A.P.); (A.F.P.); (J.G.)
| | - Jerzy Głowiński
- Department of Vascular Surgery and Transplantation, Medical University of Bialystok, 15-276 Bialystok, Poland; (A.P.); (A.F.P.); (J.G.)
| | - Grzegorz Madycki
- Department of Vascular Surgery and Angiology, Centre of Postgraduate Medical Education, Bielanski Hospital, 01-809 Warsaw, Poland;
| | - Krystyna Pawlak
- Department of Monitored Pharmacotherapy, Medical University of Bialystok, 15-222 Bialystok, Poland
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Huo R, Yuan W, Xu H, Yang D, Qiao H, Han H, Wang T, Liu Y, Yuan H, Zhao X. Investigating the Association of Carotid Atherosclerotic Plaque MRI Features and Silent Stroke After Carotid Endarterectomy. J Magn Reson Imaging 2024; 60:138-149. [PMID: 38018669 DOI: 10.1002/jmri.29115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2023] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The predictive value of carotid plaque characteristics for silent stroke (SS) after carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is unclear. OBJECTIVE To investigate the associations between carotid plaque characteristics and postoperative SS in patients undergoing CEA. STUDY TYPE Prospective. POPULATION One hundred fifty-three patients (mean age: 65.4 ± 7.9 years; 126 males) with unilateral moderate-to-severe carotid stenosis (evaluated by CT angiography) referred for CEA. FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE 3 T, brain-MRI:T2-PROPELLER, T1-/T2-FLAIR, diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) and T2*, carotid-MRI:black-blood T1-/T2W, 3D TOF, Simultaneous Non-contrast Angiography intraplaque hemorrhage. ASSESSMENT Patients underwent carotid-MRI within 1-week before CEA, and brain-MRI within 48-hours pre-/post-CEA. The presence and size (volume, maximum-area-percentage) of carotid lipid-rich necrotic core (LRNC), intraplaque hemorrhage (Type-I/Type-II IPH) and calcification were evaluated on carotid-MR images. Postoperative SS was assessed from pre-/post-CEA brain DWI. Patients were divided into moderate-carotid-stenosis (50%-69%) and severe-carotid-stenosis (70%-99%) groups and the associations between carotid plaque characteristics and SS were analyzed. STATISTICAL TESTS Independent t test, Mann-Whitney U-test, chi-square test and logistic regressions (OR: odds ratio, CI: confidence interval). P value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS SS was found in 8 (16.3%) of the 49 patients with moderate-carotid-stenosis and 21 (20.2%) of the 104 patients with severe-carotid-stenosis. In patients with severe-carotid-stenosis, those with SS had significantly higher IPH (66.7% vs. 39.8%) and Type-I IPH (66.7% vs. 38.6%) than those without. The presence of IPH (OR 3.030, 95% CI 1.106-8.305) and Type-I IPH (OR 3.187, 95% CI 1.162-8.745) was significantly associated with SS. After adjustment, the associations of SS with presence of IPH (OR 3.294, 95% CI 1.122-9.669) and Type-I IPH (OR 3.633, 95% CI 1.216-10.859) remained significant. Moreover, the volume of Type-II IPH (OR 1.014, 95% CI 1.001-1.028), and maximum-area-percentage of Type-II IPH (OR 1.070, 95% CI 1.002-1.142) and LRNC (OR 1.030, 95% CI 1.000-1.061) were significantly associated with SS after adjustment. No significant (P range: 0.203-0.980) associations were found between carotid plaque characteristics and SS in patients with moderate-carotid-stenosis. DATA CONCLUSIONS In patients with unilateral severe-carotid-stenosis, carotid vulnerable plaque MR features, particularly presence and size of IPH, might be effective predictors for SS after CEA. EVIDENCE LEVEL 2 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ran Huo
- Department of Radiology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Wanzhong Yuan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Huimin Xu
- Department of Radiology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Dandan Yang
- Department of Radiology, Beijing Geriatric Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Huiyu Qiao
- Center for Biomedical Imaging Research, Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Hualu Han
- Center for Biomedical Imaging Research, Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Tao Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Ying Liu
- Department of Radiology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Huishu Yuan
- Department of Radiology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Xihai Zhao
- Center for Biomedical Imaging Research, Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
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Sutaria TV, Chaudhari RK, Sutaria PT. Ultrasonographic diagnosis of adhesions, quantification of uterine wall and managerial perspectives of uterine torsion in buffaloes. Reprod Domest Anim 2022; 57:1505-1519. [PMID: 35947504 DOI: 10.1111/rda.14226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The present study aimed to diagnose uterine adhesion using ultrasonography to decide the treatment approach for better survival of buffaloes suffering from uterine torsion. The peculiar visceral slide against the other abdominal organs induced by breathing was considered an absence of uterine adhesion, while the total absence of visceral slide was considered the presence of uterine adhesions on ultrasonographic examination. The 59 Mehsana buffaloes suffering from uterine torsion were divided into two groups based on the presence (Group I; n=27) or absence (group II; n=32) of adhesions. The mean pixel values (MPV) and thickness of uterine wall were also quantified in both the groups. In group I, sever type adhesions (n=16/27) were directly subjected to cesarean section (CS), while fibrinous adhesions (n=11/27) were subject to rolling by Sharma's modified Schaffer's method, and if rolling failed were further, subjected to CS and adhesions were confirm during CS. In Group II, 28 buffaloes were subjected to rolling by Sharma's modified Schaffer's method and 4 buffaloes were directly subjected to CS because of longer duration of illness (≥3 days), higher degree (≥180°), and previous field handling. The incidence of adhesions was 45.76 per cent (27/59) in buffaloes with uterine torsion. The degenerative changes such as oedematous (hyperedema - hypoechoic with anechoic trabeculae) or thin (homogenous hypoechoic), sloughing of serosa, and wall separation were observed in the uterine wall. The significantly thinner uterine wall (P=0.017) and higher MPV (P=0.001) were evident in group I than group II. The weak negative non-significant correlation between uterine wall thickness and MPV was observed in group I (r = -0.250, P = 0.147) and group II (r = -0.235, P = 0.089). The dam survival rate was 48.15 per cent (13/27) in group I and 81.25 % (26/32) in group II. There was a significant (P=0.04) association between the treatment approach and dam survival. Ultrasonography has synergistic diagnostic value for uterine adhesions by evaluating uterine surfaces beyond the reach of obstetricians during a manual clinical examination. Thereby avoiding futile efforts to relieve uterine torsion by rolling might help to improve dam survival by planning a better obstetrical maneuver to salvage buffaloes suffering from uterine torsion.
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Affiliation(s)
- T V Sutaria
- Department of Gynaecology & Obstetrics, College of Veterinary Science & A.H., Kamdhenu University, Gujarat, India
| | - Ravjibhai K Chaudhari
- Department of Gynaecology & Obstetrics, College of Veterinary Science & A.H., Kamdhenu University, Gujarat, India
| | - Prajwalita T Sutaria
- Department of Surgery & Radiology, College of Veterinary Science & A.H., Kamdhenu University, Gujarat, India
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Computed Tomography Texture Analysis of Carotid Plaque as Predictor of Unfavorable Outcome after Carotid Artery Stenting: A Preliminary Study. Diagnostics (Basel) 2021; 11:diagnostics11122214. [PMID: 34943451 PMCID: PMC8699962 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics11122214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2021] [Revised: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Novel biomarkers are advocated to manage carotid plaques. Therefore, we aimed to test the association between textural features of carotid plaque at computed tomography angiography (CTA) and unfavorable outcome after carotid artery stenting (CAS). Between January 2010 and January 2021, were selected 172 patients (median age, 77 years; 112/172, 65% men) who underwent CAS with CTA of the supra-aortic vessels performed within prior 6 months. Standard descriptors of the density histogram were derived by open-source software automated analysis obtained by CTA plaque segmentation. Multiple logistic regression analysis, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and the area under the ROC (AUC) were used to identify potential prognostic variables and to assess the model performance for predicting unfavorable outcome (periprocedural death or myocardial infarction and any ipsilateral acute neurological event). Unfavorable outcome occurred in 17/172 (10%) patients (median age, 79 years; 12/17, 70% men). Kurtosis was an independent predictor of unfavorable outcome (odds ratio, 0.79; confidence interval, 0.65-0.97; p = 0.029). The predictive model for unfavorable outcome including CTA textural features outperformed the model without textural features (AUC 0.789 vs. 0.695, p = 0.004). In patients with stenotic carotid plaque, kurtosis derived by CTA density histogram analysis is an independent predictor of unfavorable outcome after CAS.
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Amniotic fluid segmentation based on pixel classification using local window information and distance angle pixel. Appl Soft Comput 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.asoc.2021.107196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
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6
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Li Y, Kwong DLW, Wu VWC, Yip SP, Law HKW, Lee SWY, Ying MTC. Computer-assisted ultrasound assessment of plaque characteristics in radiation-induced and non-radiation-induced carotid atherosclerosis. Quant Imaging Med Surg 2021; 11:2292-2306. [PMID: 34079702 DOI: 10.21037/qims-20-1012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Background This study investigated the feasibility of using a computer-assisted method to evaluate and differentiate the carotid plaque characteristics in radiation-induced and non-radiation-induced carotid atherosclerosis. Methods This study included 107 post-radiotherapy (post-RT) nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients and 110 subjects with cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs). Each participant had a carotid ultrasound examination, and carotid plaques and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) were evaluated with grey scale ultrasound. The carotid plaque characteristics were evaluated for grey-scale median (GSM) and detailed plaque texture analysis (DPTA) using specific computer software. In DPTA, five different intra-plaque components were colour-coded according to different grey scale ranges. A multivariate linear regression model was used to evaluate the correlation of risk factors and carotid plaque characteristics. Results Post-RT NPC patients have significantly higher CIMT (748±15.1 µm, P=0.001), more patients had a plaque formation (80.4%, P<0.001) and more plaque locations (2.3±0.2, P<0.001) than CVRF subjects (680.4±10.0 µm, 38.2% and 0.5±0.1 respectively). Among the five intra-plaque components, radiation-induced carotid plaques had significantly larger area of calcification (4.8%±7.7%, P=0.012), but lesser area of lipid (42.1%±16.9%, P=0.034) when compared to non-radiation-induced carotid plaques (3.0%±5.7% and 46.3%±17.9% respectively). Age, radiation and number of CVRF were significantly associated with the carotid atherosclerosis burden (P<0.001). Besides, age was significantly associated with the amount of lipid and calcification within carotid plaques (P<0.001). Conclusions Radiation caused more severe carotid artery disease than CVRF with larger CIMT and more prevalent of carotid plaque. Radiation-induced carotid plaques tended to have more intra-plaque calcifications, whereas non-radiation-induced carotid plaques had more lipids. Ultrasound aided by computer-assisted image analysis has potential for more accurate assessment of carotid atherosclerosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanxi Li
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Dora Lai-Wan Kwong
- Department of Clinical Oncology, The University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong, China
| | - Vincent Wing-Cheung Wu
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Shea-Ping Yip
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Helen Ka-Wai Law
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Shara Wee-Yee Lee
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Michael Tin-Cheung Ying
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
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7
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Moore WS. Fuzzy brain and falling. J Vasc Surg 2020; 71:1938. [PMID: 32446509 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvs.2019.08.256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2019] [Accepted: 08/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Wesley S Moore
- Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, Calif
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8
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9
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Rudolph C, Eldrup N. Asymptomatic carotid stenosis and concomitant silent brain infarctions. Vascular 2019; 28:7-15. [DOI: 10.1177/1708538119858258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Objectives This review aims to clarify (1) the definition of silent brain infarct (SBI), (2) the diagnostic criteria of SBI using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), (3) the prevalence of patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis and SBI based on MRI assessment, (4) the association of SBI and asymptomatic carotid stenosis and the risk of stroke compared to patients without SBI, (5) the association between development of dementia/cognitive impairment in people with asymptomatic carotid stenosis and SBI, and (6) the evidence for treating patients with carotid stenosis and SBI. Methods A systematic search of PubMed and Scopus including all studies published from 2000 to 2018 and written in English. Results No consensus of the definition and diagnostic criteria for SBI was found. The prevalence of SBI in asymptomatic carotid patients is 17–33.3%. SBI is a significant risk factor for future stroke, OR 4.6 (95% CI: 3.0–7.2; p < 0.0001). One substudy showed that immediate CEA is beneficial compared to delayed CEA in these patients, showing a 45% reduction in annual stroke rate from 1.5%/year to 0.7%/year. Conclusion This review emphasizes the need to standardize the definition and diagnostic criteria of SBI on MRI. Current evidence suggests an increased risk and a small potential benefit of offering carotid endarterectomy to patient with silent brain infarct. Prospective studies are warranted to elucidate these issues further.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudina Rudolph
- Department of Cardio-Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Nikolaj Eldrup
- Department of Cardio-Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
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Traenka C, Engelter ST, Brown MM, Dobson J, Frost C, Bonati LH. Silent brain infarcts on diffusion-weighted imaging after carotid revascularisation: A surrogate outcome measure for procedural stroke? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur Stroke J 2019; 4:127-143. [PMID: 31259261 DOI: 10.1177/2396987318824491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2018] [Accepted: 12/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim To investigate whether lesions on diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI+) after carotid artery stenting (CAS) or endarterectomy (CEA) might provide a surrogate outcome measure for procedural stroke. Materials and Methods Systematic MedLine® database search with selection of all studies published up to the end of 2016 in which DWI scans were obtained before and within seven days after CAS or CEA. The correlation between the underlying log odds of stroke and of DWI+ across all treatment groups (i.e. CAS or CEA groups) from included studies was estimated using a bivariate random effects logistic regression model. Relative risks of DWI+ and stroke in studies comparing CAS vs. CEA were estimated using fixed-effect Mantel-Haenszel models. Results We included data of 4871 CAS and 2099 CEA procedures (85 studies). Across all treatment groups (CAS and CEA), the log odds for DWI+ was significantly associated with the log odds for clinically manifest stroke (correlation coefficient 0.61 (95% CI 0.27 to 0.87), p = 0.0012). Across all carotid artery stenting groups, the correlation coefficient was 0.19 (p = 0.074). There were too few CEA groups to reliably estimate a correlation coefficient in this subset alone. In 19 studies comparing CAS vs. CEA, the relative risks (95% confidence intervals) of DWI+ and stroke were 3.83 (3.17-4.63, p < 0.00001) and 2.38 (1.44-3.94, p = 0.0007), respectively. Discussion This systematic meta-analysis demonstrates a correlation between the occurrence of silent brain infarcts on diffusion-weighted imaging and the risk of clinically manifest stroke in carotid revascularisation procedures. Conclusion Our findings strengthen the evidence base for the use of DWI as a surrogate outcome measure for procedural stroke in carotid revascularisation procedures. Further randomised studies comparing treatment effects on DWI lesions and clinical stroke are needed to fully establish surrogacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Traenka
- Stroke Center and Department of Neurology, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.,Neurorehabilitation Unit, University of Basel and University Center for Medicine of Aging and Rehabilitation, Felix Platter Hospital, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Stefan T Engelter
- Stroke Center and Department of Neurology, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.,Neurorehabilitation Unit, University of Basel and University Center for Medicine of Aging and Rehabilitation, Felix Platter Hospital, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Martin M Brown
- Stroke Research Group, Department of Brain Repair & Rehabilitation, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Joanna Dobson
- Department of Medical Statistics, Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Chris Frost
- Department of Medical Statistics, Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Leo H Bonati
- Stroke Center and Department of Neurology, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.,Stroke Research Group, Department of Brain Repair & Rehabilitation, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK
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11
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Shaikh F, Franc B, Allen E, Sala E, Awan O, Hendrata K, Halabi S, Mohiuddin S, Malik S, Hadley D, Shrestha R. Translational Radiomics: Defining the Strategy Pipeline and Considerations for Application-Part 2: From Clinical Implementation to Enterprise. J Am Coll Radiol 2018; 15:543-549. [PMID: 29366598 DOI: 10.1016/j.jacr.2017.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2017] [Accepted: 12/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Enterprise imaging has channeled various technological innovations to the field of clinical radiology, ranging from advanced imaging equipment and postacquisition iterative reconstruction tools to image analysis and computer-aided detection tools. More recently, the advancement in the field of quantitative image analysis coupled with machine learning-based data analytics, classification, and integration has ushered in the era of radiomics, a paradigm shift that holds tremendous potential in clinical decision support as well as drug discovery. However, there are important issues to consider to incorporate radiomics into a clinically applicable system and a commercially viable solution. In this two-part series, we offer insights into the development of the translational pipeline for radiomics from methodology to clinical implementation (Part 1) and from that point to enterprise development (Part 2). In Part 2 of this two-part series, we study the components of the strategy pipeline, from clinical implementation to building enterprise solutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faiq Shaikh
- Institute of Computational Health Sciences, UCSF, San Francisco, California.
| | - Benjamin Franc
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, UCSF, San Francisco, California
| | | | - Evis Sala
- Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Omer Awan
- Department of Radiology, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | | | - Safwan Halabi
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California
| | - Sohaib Mohiuddin
- Department of Radiology, Division of Nuclear Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, Florida
| | - Sana Malik
- School of Social Welfare, Stony Brook University, New York, New York
| | - Dexter Hadley
- Institute of Computational Health Sciences, UCSF, San Francisco, California
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12
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Lekadir K, Galimzianova A, Betriu A, Del Mar Vila M, Igual L, Rubin DL, Fernandez E, Radeva P, Napel S. A Convolutional Neural Network for Automatic Characterization of Plaque Composition in Carotid Ultrasound. IEEE J Biomed Health Inform 2016; 21:48-55. [PMID: 27893402 DOI: 10.1109/jbhi.2016.2631401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Characterization of carotid plaque composition, more specifically the amount of lipid core, fibrous tissue, and calcified tissue, is an important task for the identification of plaques that are prone to rupture, and thus for early risk estimation of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events. Due to its low costs and wide availability, carotid ultrasound has the potential to become the modality of choice for plaque characterization in clinical practice. However, its significant image noise, coupled with the small size of the plaques and their complex appearance, makes it difficult for automated techniques to discriminate between the different plaque constituents. In this paper, we propose to address this challenging problem by exploiting the unique capabilities of the emerging deep learning framework. More specifically, and unlike existing works which require a priori definition of specific imaging features or thresholding values, we propose to build a convolutional neural network (CNN) that will automatically extract from the images the information that is optimal for the identification of the different plaque constituents. We used approximately 90 000 patches extracted from a database of images and corresponding expert plaque characterizations to train and to validate the proposed CNN. The results of cross-validation experiments show a correlation of about 0.90 with the clinical assessment for the estimation of lipid core, fibrous cap, and calcified tissue areas, indicating the potential of deep learning for the challenging task of automatic characterization of plaque composition in carotid ultrasound.
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13
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Sun R, Peng XY, You QS, Jiao LQ, Liu DC. Branch retinal artery occlusion following carotid stenting: A case report. Exp Ther Med 2016; 12:2183-2186. [PMID: 27698708 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2016.3581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2015] [Accepted: 06/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
A 70 year old male was diagnosed with carotid stenosis and underwent carotid artery stenting (CAS). Severe postoperative complications arose subsequent to the procedure, including decreased visual acuity and symptoms of a visual field defect, and the patient was eventually diagnosed with retinal artery embolism. CAS reduces carotid plaque; however, the subsequent shedding of carotid plaque may cause retinal artery embolism, resulting in the serious loss of visual function in patients. This complication is of paramount importance and requires great consideration from the neurologist and the patients undergoing CAS. Ophthalmic evaluation is paramount following CAS due to the possibility of embolic occlusion of the retinal artery. It is imperative that patients be informed of the risk of permanent vision loss as a result of CAS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ran Sun
- Department of Opthalmology, Beijing Xuan Wu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100053, P.R. China; Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100005, P.R. China
| | - Xiao-Yan Peng
- Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100005, P.R. China
| | - Qi-Sheng You
- Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100005, P.R. China
| | - Li-Qun Jiao
- Department of Interventional Radiology, Beijing Xuan Wu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100053, P.R. China
| | - Da-Chuan Liu
- Department of Opthalmology, Beijing Xuan Wu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100053, P.R. China
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Park TH. Evaluation of Carotid Plaque Using Ultrasound Imaging. J Cardiovasc Ultrasound 2016; 24:91-5. [PMID: 27358696 PMCID: PMC4925403 DOI: 10.4250/jcu.2016.24.2.91] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2015] [Revised: 02/14/2016] [Accepted: 05/10/2016] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Traditional risk factors for predicting of cardiovascular disease are not always effective predictors for development of cardiovascular events. This review summarizes several newly developed noninvasive imaging techniques for evaluating carotid plaques and their role in cardiovascular disease risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tae Ho Park
- Department of Cardiology, Dong-A University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea
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Retinal embolization after carotid endarterectomy and stenting for carotid artery stenosis. J Clin Neurosci 2015; 22:1298-302. [PMID: 25986182 DOI: 10.1016/j.jocn.2015.01.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2014] [Revised: 01/27/2015] [Accepted: 01/27/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
To compare the incidence of retinal arterial embolism after carotid endarterectomy (CEA) or carotid artery stenting (CAS) as a treatment for carotid artery stenosis and to determine the risk factors for retinal artery embolization, this study included all consecutive severe carotid artery stenosis patients (70-99%), diagnosed by digital subtraction angiography, who underwent CEA or CAS between February 2014 and July 2014. The study included 61 patients in the CEA group and 71 patients in the CAS group. None of the patients developed a stroke or myocardial infarction or died within 7 days of the surgery. A total of 15 patients exhibited retinal embolization including three patients who underwent CEA. None of these emboli caused symptoms. After undergoing CAS, 12 patients exhibited retinal embolization and one of the 12 patients suffered a decrease in visual acuity and visual field after CAS. The retinal embolization rate was 4.9% in the CEA group which was lower than the 16.9% rate in the CAS group (p=0.031). In addition, the retinal embolization rate in the ulcerated plaque group was higher than that in the non-ulcerated plaque group (p=0.007). Ulcerated plaques (odds ratio [OR] 5.043; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.476-17.225; p=0.010) and CAS (OR 4.248; 95% CI 1.104-16.343; p=0.035) were independent predictors of retinal embolization. Although retinal embolization during CEA and CAS is common at our center, symptomatic embolization is not. The presence of ulcerated plaques and CAS were independent predictors of retinal embolization.
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Pazinato DV, Stein BV, de Almeida WR, Werneck RDO, Mendes Júnior PR, Penatti OAB, Torres RDS, Menezes FH, Rocha A. Pixel-Level Tissue Classification for Ultrasound Images. IEEE J Biomed Health Inform 2014; 20:256-67. [PMID: 25561598 DOI: 10.1109/jbhi.2014.2386796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pixel-level tissue classification for ultrasound images, commonly applied to carotid images, is usually based on defining thresholds for the isolated pixel values. Ranges of pixel values are defined for the classification of each tissue. The classification of pixels is then used to determine the carotid plaque composition and, consequently, to determine the risk of diseases (e.g., strokes) and whether or not a surgery is necessary. The use of threshold-based methods dates from the early 2000s but it is still widely used for virtual histology. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS We propose the use of descriptors that take into account information about a neighborhood of a pixel when classifying it. We evaluated experimentally different descriptors (statistical moments, texture-based, gradient-based, local binary patterns, etc.) on a dataset of five types of tissues: blood, lipids, muscle, fibrous, and calcium. The pipeline of the proposed classification method is based on image normalization, multiscale feature extraction, including the proposal of a new descriptor, and machine learning classification. We have also analyzed the correlation between the proposed pixel classification method in the ultrasound images and the real histology with the aid of medical specialists. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE The classification accuracy obtained by the proposed method with the novel descriptor in the ultrasound tissue images (around 73%) is significantly above the accuracy of the state-of-the-art threshold-based methods (around 54%). The results are validated by statistical tests. The correlation between the virtual and real histology confirms the quality of the proposed approach showing it is a robust ally for the virtual histology in ultrasound images.
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Kotze CW, Rudd JH, Ganeshan B, Menezes LJ, Brookes J, Agu O, Yusuf SW, Groves AM. CT signal heterogeneity of abdominal aortic aneurysm as a possible predictive biomarker for expansion. Atherosclerosis 2014; 233:510-517. [DOI: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2014.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2013] [Revised: 12/18/2013] [Accepted: 01/03/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Thornhill RE, Lum C, Jaberi A, Stefanski P, Torres CH, Momoli F, Petrcich W, Dowlatshahi D. Can shape analysis differentiate free-floating internal carotid artery thrombus from atherosclerotic plaque in patients evaluated with CTA for stroke or transient ischemic attack? Acad Radiol 2014; 21:345-54. [PMID: 24507422 DOI: 10.1016/j.acra.2013.11.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2013] [Revised: 10/22/2013] [Accepted: 11/08/2013] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES Patients presenting with transient ischemic attack or stroke may have symptom-related lesions on acute computed tomography angiography (CTA) such as free-floating intraluminal thrombus (FFT). It is difficult to distinguish FFT from carotid plaque, but the distinction is critical as management differs. By contouring the shape of these vascular lesions ("virtual endarterectomy"), advanced morphometric analysis can be performed. The objective of our study is to determine whether quantitative shape analysis can accurately differentiate FFT from atherosclerotic plaque. MATERIALS AND METHODS We collected 23 consecutive cases of suspected carotid FFT seen on CTA (13 men, 65 ± 10 years; 10 women, 65.5 ± 8.8 years). True-positive FFT cases (FFT+) were defined as filling defects resolving with anticoagulant therapy versus false-positives (FFT-), which remained unchanged. Lesion volumes were extracted from CTA images and quantitative shape descriptors were computed. The five most discriminative features were used to construct receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves and to generate three machine-learning classifiers. Average classification accuracy was determined by cross-validation. RESULTS Follow-up imaging confirmed sixteen FFT+ and seven FFT- cases. Five shape descriptors delineated FFT+ from FFT- cases. The logistic regression model produced from combining all five shape features demonstrated a sensitivity of 87.5% and a specificity of 71.4% with an area under the ROC curve = 0.85 ± 0.09. Average accuracy for each classifier ranged from 65.2%-76.4%. CONCLUSIONS We identified five quantitative shape descriptors of carotid FFT. This shape "signature" shows potential for supplementing conventional lesion characterization in cases of suspected FFT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca E Thornhill
- Department of Radiology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Department of Medical Imaging, The Ottawa Hospital, 1053 Carling Ave, Ottawa, Ontario K1Y 4E9, Canada; Clinical Epidemiology Program/Methods Centre, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Cheemun Lum
- Department of Radiology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Department of Medical Imaging, The Ottawa Hospital, 1053 Carling Ave, Ottawa, Ontario K1Y 4E9, Canada; Clinical Epidemiology Program/Methods Centre, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Arash Jaberi
- Department of Radiology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Department of Medical Imaging, The Ottawa Hospital, 1053 Carling Ave, Ottawa, Ontario K1Y 4E9, Canada
| | - Pawel Stefanski
- Department of Radiology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Department of Medical Imaging, The Ottawa Hospital, 1053 Carling Ave, Ottawa, Ontario K1Y 4E9, Canada
| | - Carlos H Torres
- Department of Radiology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Department of Medical Imaging, The Ottawa Hospital, 1053 Carling Ave, Ottawa, Ontario K1Y 4E9, Canada; Clinical Epidemiology Program/Methods Centre, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Franco Momoli
- Clinical Epidemiology Program/Methods Centre, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - William Petrcich
- Clinical Epidemiology Program/Methods Centre, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Dar Dowlatshahi
- Clinical Epidemiology Program/Methods Centre, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Kolkert JL, Meerwaldt R, Loonstra J, Schenk M, van der Palen J, van den Dungen JJ, Zeebregts CJ. Relation between B-mode Gray-scale Median and Clinical Features of Carotid Stenosis Vulnerability. Ann Vasc Surg 2014; 28:404-10. [DOI: 10.1016/j.avsg.2013.04.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2013] [Revised: 04/23/2013] [Accepted: 04/27/2013] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Sfyroeras GS, Bessias N, Moulakakis KG, Lyra S, Kotsikoris I, Andrikopoulos V, Liapis CD. New Cerebral Ischemic Lesions After Carotid Endarterectomy. Ann Vasc Surg 2013; 27:883-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.avsg.2012.10.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2012] [Accepted: 10/03/2012] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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Pedro LM, Sanches JM, Seabra J, Suri JS, Fernandes E Fernandes J. Asymptomatic carotid disease--a new tool for assessing neurological risk. Echocardiography 2013; 31:353-61. [PMID: 24117920 DOI: 10.1111/echo.12348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Active carotid plaques are associated with atheroembolism and neurological events; its identification is crucial for stroke prevention. High-definition ultrasound (HDU) can be used to recognize plaque structure in carotid bifurcation stenosis associated with plaque vulnerability and occurrence of brain ischemic events. A new computer-assisted HDU method to study the echomorphology of the carotid plaque and to determine a risk score for developing appropriate symptoms is proposed in this study. Plaque echomorphology characteristics such as presence of ulceration at the plaque surface, juxta-luminal location of echolucent areas, echoheterogeneity were obtained from B-mode ultrasound scans using several image processing algorithms and were combined with measurement of severity of stenosis to obtain a clinical score--enhanced activity index (EAI)--which was correlated with the presence or absence of ipsilateral appropriate ischemic symptoms. An optimal cutoff value of EAI was determined to obtain the best separation between symptomatic (active) from asymptomatic (inactive) plaques and its diagnostic yield was compared to other 2 reference methods by means of receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Classification performance was evaluated by leave-one-patient-out cross-validation applied to a cohort of 146 carotid plaques from 99 patients. The proposed method was benchmarked against (a) degree of stenosis criteria and (b) earlier proposed activity index (AI) and demonstrated that EAI yielded the highest accuracy up to an accuracy of 77% to predict asymptomatic plaques that developed symptoms in a prospective cross-sectional study. Enhanced activity index is a noninvasive, easy to obtain parameter, which provided accurate estimation of neurological risk of carotid plaques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luís M Pedro
- Faculty of Medicine, Lisbon Academic Medical Centre, University of Lisbon and Lisbon Cardiovascular Institute, Lisbon, Portugal
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22
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Semb AG, Rollefstad S, Provan SA, Kvien TK, Stranden E, Olsen IC, Hisdal J. Carotid plaque characteristics and disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis. J Rheumatol 2013; 40:359-68. [PMID: 23322468 DOI: 10.3899/jrheum.120621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Carotid plaques (CP) are predictive of acute coronary syndrome in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), suggesting that atherosclerotic plaques in these patients are vulnerable. The objective of our study was to characterize vulnerability of CP in patients with RA compared to a control population, and between RA patients with different levels of disease activity. METHODS Ultrasound examination of carotid arteries was performed in 152 patients with RA and 89 controls. CP echolucency was evaluated by the Gray-Scale Median (GSM) technique. Lower GSM values indicate higher vulnerability of plaques. CP characteristics were compared between RA patients with active disease and in remission, and between patients and controls. All analyses were performed with adjustment for confounding factors (sex, age, smoking, and blood pressure). Poisson regression analysis was used for count data, mixed modeling for GSM and area per plaque, and analysis of covariance for minimum GSM value per patient. RESULTS Patients with RA more frequently had CP (median 2, range 0, 4) compared with controls (median 1, range 0, 3; p < 0.001), after adjustment for age and sex. Patients with active RA disease according to the Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI) had lower median GSM (p = 0.03), minimum GSM (p = 0.03), and a larger CP area (although the latter finding was not significant; p = 0.27), compared with patients with RA in remission. These findings were not confirmed for other disease measures (Simplified Disease Activity Index, Disease Activity Score-28, C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate). CONCLUSION Patients with RA had more CP compared with controls and patients in CDAI remission, and controls had more stable CP than patients with active disease; these findings point to the importance of achieving remission in RA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne G Semb
- Department of Rheumatology, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
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Kovács KR, Czuriga D, Bereczki D, Bornstein NM, Csiba L. Silent Brain Infarction – A Review of Recent Observations. Int J Stroke 2012; 8:334-47. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1747-4949.2012.00851.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Silent brain infarction is a cerebral ischaemic event evident on brain imaging without any clinical symptom. Silent brain infarction is often detected in apparently healthy, elderly people and in different selected patient groups as well. Lately, several studies were carried out in order to identify the clinical conditions leading to silent brain infarction. A large number of clinical and paraclinical parameters were found to increase silent brain infarction prevalence, and the continuously growing list of risk factors revealed that the majority of them are similar to those related to stroke. Accordingly, some consider silent brain infarction the preclinical stage of clinically overt stroke. This point of view emphasizes the early recognition and management of silent brain infarction-related risk factors, and a great need for comparative studies, which could elicit the most sensitive indicators of the increased silent brain infarction risk, especially the ones that could be cost-effectively screened in the large populations as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katalin Réka Kovács
- Department of Neurology, University of Debrecen, Medical and Health Science Center, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Dániel Czuriga
- Institute of Cardiology, University of Debrecen, Medical and Health Science Center, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Dániel Bereczki
- Department of Neurology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Natan M. Bornstein
- Department of Neurology, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - László Csiba
- Department of Neurology, University of Debrecen, Medical and Health Science Center, Debrecen, Hungary
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Kakkos SK, Nicolaides AN, Kyriacou E, Daskalopoulou SS, Sabetai MM, Pattichis CS, Geroulakos G, Griffin MB, Thomas D. Computerized Texture Analysis of Carotid Plaque Ultrasonic Images Can Identify Unstable Plaques Associated With Ipsilateral Neurological Symptoms. Angiology 2011; 62:317-28. [DOI: 10.1177/0003319710384397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
We estimated the value of objective, computerized texture analysis of ultrasonic images in distinguishing carotid plaques associated with neurological ipsilateral symptoms (amaurosis fugax [AmF; n = 30], transient ischemic attack [TIA; n = 52], and stroke [n = 55]) from asymptomatic plaques (n = 51). We performed 3 case-control studies (1/symptom with asymptomatic plaques as control). On logistic regression, AmF was independently associated with severity of stenosis, percentage of pixels with gray levels 0 to 10 (PPCS1; measure of echolucency), and spatial gray level dependence matrices (SGLDM) information measure of correlation (IMC-1; texture); TIAs with PPCS1 (echolucency), SGLDM correlation, and skewness (both texture); and stroke with PPCS1, SGLDM correlation, and percentage of pixels with gray levels 11 to 20 (PPCS2; echolucency). The area under the curve of the regression-derived predicted probability for AmF, TIA, and stroke was 0.92, 0.82, and 0.85, respectively (all P < .001). Texture analysis can identify carotid plaques associated with a neurological event, improving the diagnostic value of echolucency measures. Texture analyses could be applied to natural history studies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Efthyvoulos Kyriacou
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Frederick University, Limassol, Cyprus, Department of Computer Science, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Stella S. Daskalopoulou
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Imperial College London, London, UK, Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | | | | | - George Geroulakos
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Imperial College London, London, UK,
| | - Maura B. Griffin
- The Vascular Noninvasive Screening and Diagnostic Centre, London, UK
| | - Dafydd Thomas
- Department of Neurology, St Mary's Hospital, London, UK
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25
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King A, Markus HS. Doppler Embolic Signals in Cerebrovascular Disease and Prediction of Stroke Risk. Stroke 2009; 40:3711-7. [DOI: 10.1161/strokeaha.109.563056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 145] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alice King
- From Clinical Neuroscience, St. George’s University of London, London UK
| | - Hugh S. Markus
- From Clinical Neuroscience, St. George’s University of London, London UK
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26
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Carotid plaque compared with intima-media thickness as a predictor of coronary and cerebrovascular disease. Curr Cardiol Rep 2009; 11:21-7. [PMID: 19091171 DOI: 10.1007/s11886-009-0004-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 140] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Atherosclerosis is the underlying cause of most myocardial infarction (MI) and ischemic strokes. B-mode ultrasound of carotid arteries provides measures of intima-media thickness (IMT) and plaques, both widely used as surrogate measures of cardiovascular disease. Although IMT and plaques are highly intercorrelated, IMT's role as a marker of atherosclerosis has been questioned, especially when measurements include the common carotid artery (CCA) only. Plaque and intima-media thickening may reflect different biological aspects of atherogenesis with distinctive relations to clinical vascular disease. Plaque measured in the carotid bulb or internal carotid artery is stronger related to hyperlipidemia and smoking and is a stronger predictor for MI, whereas CCA-IMT is stronger related to hypertension and ischemic stroke. Echolucent plaque morphology (ie, lipid-rich plaques) seems to increase the risk for MI and stroke. New evidence suggests that total plaque area is the most strongly predictive of cardiovascular risk of the ultrasound phenotypes.
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Schnaudigel S, Gröschel K, Pilgram SM, Kastrup A. New brain lesions after carotid stenting versus carotid endarterectomy: a systematic review of the literature. Stroke 2008; 39:1911-9. [PMID: 18388346 DOI: 10.1161/strokeaha.107.500603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 210] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Against the background of a relatively low rate of clinical events during carotid angioplasty and stenting (CAS) or carotid endarterectomy (CEA), diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) is increasingly being used to compare the incidence of new ischemic lesions after both procedures. In addition, DWI may also provide a means of defining the role of different CAS techniques on this adverse outcome. Therefore, we performed a PubMed search and systematically analyzed all peer-reviewed studies published between January 1990 and June 2007 reporting on the occurrence of new DWI lesions after CAS or CEA. Summary of Review- In 32 studies comprising 1363 CAS and 754 CEA procedures, the incidence of any new DWI lesion was significantly higher after CAS (37%) than after CEA (10%) (P<0.01). Similar results were obtained in a meta-analysis focusing on those studies directly comparing the incidence of new DWI lesions after either CEA or CAS (OR, 6.1; 95% CI, 4.19 to 8.87; P<0.01). The use of cerebral protection devices (33% vs 45% without; P<0.01) and closed-cell designed stents during CAS (31% vs 51% with open-cell stents; P<0.01), as well as selective versus routine shunt usage during CEA (6% vs 16%; P<0.01) significantly reduced the incidence of new ipsilateral DWI lesions. CONCLUSIONS New DWI lesions occur more frequently after CAS than after CEA. However, technical advances mainly in the field of endovascular therapy potentially reduce the incidence of these adverse ischemic events. In this scenario, DWI appears to be an ideal tool to compare and further improve both techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonja Schnaudigel
- Department of Neurology, University of Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Str. 40, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
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28
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Mahmud E, Cavendish JJ, Salami A. Current Treatment of Peripheral Arterial Disease. J Am Coll Cardiol 2007; 50:473-90. [PMID: 17678729 DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2007.03.056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2006] [Revised: 03/12/2007] [Accepted: 03/14/2007] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Despite advances in medical therapies to help prevent the development of atherosclerosis and improve the management of patients with established peripheral arterial disease (PAD), the prevalence of PAD and associated morbidity remains high. Over the past decade, percutaneous revascularization therapies for the treatment of patients with PAD have evolved tremendously, and a great number of patients can now be offered treatment options that are less invasive than traditional surgical options. With the surgical approach, there is significant symptomatic improvement, but the associated morbidity and mortality preclude its routine use. Although newer percutaneous treatment options are associated with lower procedural complications, the technical advances have outpaced the evaluation of these treatments in adequately designed clinical studies, and therapeutic options are available that may not have been rigorously investigated. Therefore, for physicians treating patients with PAD, an understanding of the various therapies available, along with the inherent benefits and limitations of each treatment option is imperative as a greater number of patients with PAD are being encountered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ehtisham Mahmud
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, California 92103-8784, USA.
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29
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Abstract
As the availability and quality of imaging techniques improve, doctors are identifying more patients with no history of transient ischaemic attack or stroke in whom imaging shows brain infarcts. Until recently, little was known about the relevance of these lesions. In this systematic review, we give an overview of the frequency, causes, and consequences of MRI-defined silent brain infarcts, which are detected in 20% of healthy elderly people and up to 50% of patients in selected series. Most infarcts are lacunes, of which hypertensive small-vessel disease is thought to be the main cause. Although silent infarcts, by definition, lack clinically overt stroke-like symptoms, they are associated with subtle deficits in physical and cognitive function that commonly go unnoticed. Moreover, the presence of silent infarcts more than doubles the risk of subsequent stroke and dementia. Future studies will have to show whether screening and treating high-risk patients can effectively reduce the risk of further infarcts, stroke, and dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Vermeer
- Department of Neurology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
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30
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Kakkos SK, Stevens JM, Nicolaides AN, Kyriacou E, Pattichis CS, Geroulakos G, Thomas D. Texture Analysis of Ultrasonic Images of Symptomatic Carotid Plaques can Identify Those Plaques Associated with Ipsilateral Embolic Brain Infarction. Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg 2007; 33:422-9. [PMID: 17161964 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejvs.2006.10.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2006] [Accepted: 10/17/2006] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The aim of our study was to determine the association between objective, computerised texture analysis of carotid plaque ultrasonic images and embolic CT-brain infarction in patients presenting with hemispheric neurological symptoms. DESIGN Cross-sectional study in patients with 50%-99% (ECST) carotid stenosis. PATIENTS AND METHODS Carotid plaque ultrasonic images (n=54, 26 with TIAs and 28 with stroke) obtained during carotid ultrasound were normalised and standardised for resolution and subsequently assessed visually for the presence of discrete echogenic or juxtaluminal echolucent components and overall echogenicity (plaque type). Using computer software, 51 histogram/textural features of the plaque outlines were calculated. Factor analysis was subsequently applied to eliminate redundant variables. Small cortical, large cortical and discrete subcortical infarcts on CT-brain scan were considered as being embolic. RESULTS Twenty-five cases (46%) had embolic infarcts. On logistic regression, grey-scale median (GSM), a measure of echolucency, spatial grey level dependence matrices (SGLDM) correlation and SGLDM information measure of correlation-1, measures of homogeneity were significant (p<0.05), but not grey level runlength statistics (RUNL) Run Percentage (RP), stenosis severity, type of symptoms or echolucent juxtaluminal components. Using ROC curves methodology, SGLDM information measure of correlation-1 improved the value of GSM in distinguishing embolic from non-embolic CT-brain infarction. CONCLUSION Computerised texture analysis of ultrasonic images of symptomatic carotid plaques can identify those that are associated with brain infarction, improving the results achieved by GSM alone. This methodology could be applied to prospective natural history studies of symptomatic patients not operated on or randomised trials of patients undergoing carotid angioplasty and stenting in order to identify high-risk subgroups for cerebral infarction.
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Affiliation(s)
- S K Kakkos
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Imperial College, London, UK
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