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Published on: February 7, 2014
Ultrasonographic Measurement of Common Carotid Artery Wall Pulse Dynamics and Longitudinal Motion - Method Validation
Artturi Petäjä1, Yuxiang Zhu2, Azin Khodaverdi3
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Lund University, Lund, Sweden; Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden; Department of Specialized Surgery, Otorhinolaryngology, Helsingborg Hospital, Helsingborg, Sweden.
Insights
Longitudinal movement (LMov) in arterial walls shows good repeatability and precision for cardiovascular disease risk assessment. A novel notch ratio (NR) parameter improves analysis consistency, supporting further research.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Imaging and Diagnostics
- Biomarker Discovery
- Medical Ultrasound Technology
Background:
- Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) represent a significant global health burden.
- Reliable biomarkers are crucial for optimizing CVD prevention strategies.
- Longitudinal movement (LMov) of arterial walls is a potential sensitive biomarker for cardiovascular health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the intra-observer repeatability and inter-observer precision of LMov analysis using ultrasound of the common carotid artery (CCA).
- To introduce and assess a novel parameter ratio, the notch ratio (NR), for improved LMov analysis.
- To validate the ARTIC software for LMov measurements.
Main Methods:
- Utilized an in-house MATLAB-based program (ARTIC) for analyzing CINE-loops of CCA ultrasound recordings in 20 healthy individuals.
- Four independent observers measured two-dimensional vessel wall displacement.
- Compared repeated measurements for intra-observer repeatability and between observers for inter-observer precision.
- Evaluated the novel notch ratio (NR) for its consistency and variability reduction.
Main Results:
- Most LMov parameters demonstrated good repeatability (CV 10%-26%) and excellent inter-observer precision (ICC > 0.9).
- Radial and intima-media thickness (IMT) measures showed excellent CV (1%-7%).
- The novel notch ratio (NR) improved LMov analysis in late systole, showing homogenous values (1.36-1.45) and good CV (9%-20%) between observers.
Conclusions:
- LMov analysis using ARTIC exhibits good intra-observer repeatability and excellent inter-observer precision.
- The notch ratio (NR) demonstrates consistent performance, enhancing LMov analysis.
- These findings support further investigation of LMov as a CVD biomarker in larger populations.
Objectives:
The enormous burden that cardiovascular diseases put on individuals and societies warrants reliable biomarkers of disease risk to optimize disease prevention. We studied longitudinal movement (LMov) in arterial walls using ultrasound of the common carotid artery (CCA). We believe that LMov could be a sensitive biomarker of cardiovascular health and in this study, we evaluate the intra-observer repeatability and inter-observer precision of our method. We also present a novel parameter ratio.
Method:
Four independent researchers, called "observers", analyzed CINE-loops of two separate ultrasound recordings of the CCA in 20 healthy individuals using an in-house developed program (ARTIC) based on MATLAB. Vessel wall displacement was measured in two dimensions and results between repeated measurements for one research subject and between observers were compared. We also present and evaluate a novel parameter ratio, the notch ratio (NR) which by combining velocities of phases B and X reduces variability and improves comparability of LMov analysis in late systole.
Results:
Most LMov parameters showed good repeatability with coefficient of variation (CV) values 10%-26%. CV values for radial and IMT measures were excellent between 1% and 7%. Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) for inter-observer precision of single measures showed excellent values ICC > 0.9. NR improved LMov analysis in late systole and showed homogenous values of 1.36-1.45 between observers and good CV values of 9%-20%.
Conclusion:
We demonstrate good intra-observer repeatability and excellent inter-observer precision of LMov analysis using ARTIC. NR displays similar consistency. This promotes further research on larger study populations using the same method focusing on the possible pathophysiological link between LMov and cardiovascular disease.
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