New and future developments in cerebrovascular ultrasound, magnetic resonance angiography, and related techniques

Four-dimensional (4D) analysis of atherosclerotic plaque and wall motion, the application of 4D ultrasound to the study of atherogenesis, and the incorporation of ultrasound data into flow models for simulation of cerebrovascular hemodynamics are new frontiers in diagnostic ultrasound that use computer vision and optical flow techniques to exploit the full potential of real-time imaging and Doppler studies. New approaches to improve blood vessel delineation with ultrasound include application of contrast agents, harmonic imaging, and red blood cell density imaging. An assessment of the potential clinical utility of these new developments in cerebrovascular ultrasound requires an analysis of comparable trends in magnetic resonance (MR) technology, eg, rapid advances in the fields of MR angiography, dynamic contrast-enhanced MR, and MR diffusion imaging. Likewise, the value of ultrasound techniques for the measurement of blood flow to evaluate cerebrovascular hemodynamics must be compared to related methods in magnetic resonance, such as dynamic MR inflow tracking. This article addresses several new and future developments in cerebrovascular ultrasound and discusses their relative merits in terms of ongoing research in the field of magnetic resonance angiography, imaging, and related techniques.