SMI combined with SWE evaluation of carotid plaque stability
SMI联合SWE评价颈动脉斑块稳定性

摘要

目的 探讨SMI联合SWE评价颈动脉斑块稳定性。方法 选取来我院就诊并检出颈动脉斑块（非钙化性，厚度＞2.0mm）的患者56例，检出斑块97个。所有患者均行常规超声、SMI及SWE检查。以病理结果为参照，分析SMI、SWE单独及联合应用对易损斑块的诊断效能。结果 病理结果证实59个为易损斑块，38个为稳定斑块。SMI检查显示，易损斑块的IPN发生率及等级均显著高于稳定斑块（P<0.05）。SWE测量显示，易损斑块的平均杨氏模量值显著低于稳定斑块（P<0.05）。SMI与SWE联合诊断的灵敏度、特异度及准确度均高于SMI单独诊断和SWE单独诊断。结论 SMI与SWE联合应用能够综合评估颈动脉斑块的形态特征、内部新生血管情况及生物力学特性，显著提高对斑块稳定性评估的准确性，具有重要的临床应用价值。

Abstract

Objective Exploring the combination of SMI and SWE for evaluating the stability of carotid artery plaques.
Methods 56 patients who came to our hospital for treatment and were diagnosed with carotid artery plaques (non calcified, thickness>2.0mm) were selected, and 97 plaques were detected. All patients underwent routine ultrasound, SMI, and SWE examinations. Using pathological results as a reference, analyze the diagnostic efficacy of SMI and SWE alone and in combination for vulnerable plaques.
Results Pathological results confirmed that 59 were vulnerable plaques and 38 were stable plaques. SMI examination showed that the incidence and grade of IPN in vulnerable plaques were significantly higher than those in stable plaques (P<0.05). SWE measurement showed that the average Young's modulus value of vulnerable plaques was significantly lower than that of stable plaques (P<0.05). The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the combined diagnosis of SMI and SWE are higher than those of SMI alone and SWE alone.
Conclusion   The combined application of SMI and SWE can comprehensively evaluate the morphological characteristics, internal neovascularization, and biomechanical properties of carotid plaques, significantly improve the accuracy of plaque stability assessment, and have important clinical application value.