Ultrasound observation on pulsation in human carotid artery lesions

B-mode ultrasound imaging was used to compare pulsation in moderately advanced, non-calcific, common carotid atherosclerotic lesions with adjacent carotid artery walls where no lesions were visible. Subjects were 13 men with proven coronary atherosclerosis. Average age was 54 years and subjects did not have cerebral symptoms or carotid bruits. Ep, the pressure-strain modulus, was estimated using brachial artery blood pressures recorded on the same clinic visit. Ep values in lesion areas were significantly greater than in nonlesion areas. Two extremely high Ep lesion values were found which could not be explained on the basis of focal calcification as determined by ultrasonic or angiographic images. Study of lesion pulsation by ultrasound imaging is proposed as a new noninvasive procedure for characterizing human carotid atherosclerosis.