The initial application of RawVision^TM plaque (RVP) quantitative technique in evaluation for carotid plaque...

Non-invasive assessment for carotid plaque vulnerability is important for risk evaluation of strokes. The RawVision^TM plaque (RVP) quantitative evaluation technique is a novel imaging method based on raw radio frequency (RF) data with real time quantitative assessment of plaques' vulnerability. This study aimed to explore the value of RVP quantitative technique in assessing the vulnerability of carotid plaques.

In this prospective study, hospitalized patients diagnosed with carotid atherosclerotic plaques were recruited and divided into symptomatic and asymptomatic groups. The B-mode ultrasound and RVP technique color-coded imaging was performed to evaluated the thickest plaque of carotid arteries in all patients. Various quantitative parameters were created by RVP quantitative analysis, including contrast (CNT), homogeneity (ENT), non-correlation (NRT), capacity (CPT) and the maximum value of absolute strain rate (MASR)-were measured as both mean values (from three regions of interest) and global values (from the overall plaque). All ultrasound features were compared between two groups. The Inter-observer and intra-observer reliability were assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC).

The 123 patients were divided into the asymptomatic group (48/123, 39.0%) and symptomatic group (75/123, 61.0%). Heterogeneous coloring of RVP color-coded imaging in the target plaque could be observed in the symptomatic group. Among all quantitative parameters, the CNT (mean) value of symptomatic carotid plaques was significantly higher than that of asymptomatic carotid plaques(65.424 vs. 47.121, P=0.015). And the CNT (global) value of symptomatic carotid plaques was also significantly higher than that of asymptomatic carotid plaques(57.720 vs. 37.672, P=0.002). Other RVP quantitative parameters showed no significant differences between two groups. The ICC for intra-observer reliability of the RVP quantitative parameters was 0.791-0.827, and was 0.763-0.794 for the inter-observer reliability respectively.

As a novel non-invasive imaging method, the RVP quantitative technique showed potential value in assessing the vulnerability of carotid plaques.