• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.82-91
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• 2021

Carotid duplex ultrasound is commonly used to diagnose various carotid artery diseases due to it being noninvasive and easy to perform. Carotid atherosclerosis is a major indicator for the need to perform carotid duplex ultrasound, which can determine the degree of stenosis, plaque characteristics, and intima-media thickness. It can also be used to screen and follow-up after carotid revascularization. Here we discuss the standard techniques, interpretations, and clinical indicators for carotid duplex ultrasounds.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.187-193
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• 2016

In this study, we performed the carotid artery ultrasound targeting 140 subjects who have conducted to evaluate the changes in intima-media thickness(IMT) and plaque correlated with the presence or absence of a hematological test of the carotid artery. Considering that the IMT thickness more than 1mm is abnormal based on the carotid artery ultrasound to assess the presence or absence of plaque, and examined the correlation by classifying the blood lipid value and the fasting blood glucose level through the serum test. Consequently, the fasting blood glucose level is being analyzed as independent predictors of causing dental plaque(p=0.033), cut off value was determined as 126 mg/dL(sensitivity 56.25%, specificity 68.38%) in ROC curve analysis. Furthermore, the odds ratio appeared 1.01 times the value in the Logistic regression. Therefore, it seemed that the necessity to prospective studies in a number of subjects are considered, and also taking into account a number of blood test values along with the sonography of the carotid artery as a valuable part for effective primary prevention and follow-up observation of the cardiac and brain vascular disease is highly recommended.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.705-713
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• 2020

Arteriosclerosis is a disease in which blood circulation is impaired due to loss of elasticity as blood vessels become narrower, and is a potential cause of recently increasing cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Carotid ultrasound is used as a predictor of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases by evaluating the degree of atherosclerosis. Therefore, this paper attempted to investigate the correlation between the increase in the thickness of the inner media and various clinical variables in carotid ultrasound. Patients with carotid ultrasound findings were classified into three stages: mild intima thickening, sclerosis, and significant stenosis. CAVI (Carotid Ankle Vascular Index: vascular age) data measured in the degree and physical characteristics of the carotid artery(gender, age, body mass index, blood pressure), blood test(total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, creatine phosphokinase, fasting blood sugar), and arteriosclerosis test were collected. It was confirmed that the carotid intima thickness was correlated with variables such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and BMI, and also correlated with the risk factors of cardiovascular disease as CAVI increased.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.285-291
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• 2009

The aim of the present study was undertaken to investigate the association between diagnostic indices of metabolic syndrome(MetS) with carotid intima-media thickness using ultrasonography. The participants in the study were 315 male employees without carotid atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular disease. This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute. Written informed consent for the participants in this study was obtained from all individuals. Anthropometric parameters and biochemical characteristics were done using each specific equipments and the NCEP-ATP III criteria were used to define MetS. They were examined by B-mode ultrasound to measure the carotid intima-media thickness(carotid IMT) at the near and far walls of common carotid and bifurcation(bulb). The mean carotid IMT was $0.739{\pm}0.137\;mm$ and it's thickness significantly increased with the increase in age. Also, amounts of systolic and diastolic blood pressure, triglyceride and fasting glucose were significantly increased with the increase in age. Carotid IMT were significantly correlated with BMI(r=0.170, p=0.004), systolic(r=0.148, p=0.011) and diastolic blood pressure(r=0.123, p=0.036) and HDL-cholesterol(r=-0.164, p=0.005). On multiple logistic regression analysis for the diagnostic indices of MetS, carotid IMT were significantly associated with blood pressure(OR=4.220, p<0.01) and MetS(OR=1.301, p<0.05). The results indicate that blood pressure and MetS are important risk factors for carotid atherosclerosis.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.339-348
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of carotid artery ultrasound Respectively. The carotid intima-media thickness is known to have a significant correlation with cardiovascular disease and cerebrovascular disease. We investigated the relationship between carotid intima - media thickness, body mass index, waist circumference, the blood lipid value, fasting blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin, and blood pressure using carotid artery ultrasound. The carotid artery ultrasound was considered to be abnormality of IMT thickness over 0.8 mm and the presence or absence of atherosclerotic plaque was evaluated. Serological tests were used to compare the geologic value, fasting blood glucose level, and glycated hemoglobin. As a result, waist circumference (=.022), low density cholesterol (=.004), fasting blood glucose level (.019), and glycemic index (.002) were analyzed as predictors of atherosclerosis. In the ROC curve analysis, sensitivity was 87.80% (95% CI: 73.8-95.9), specificity was 41.67% (95% CI: 30.2-53.9), sensitivity was 78.05% (95% CI: 62.4-89.4) in low density lipoprotein, Specificity was 50.00% (95% CI: 38.0-62.0), sensitivity was 73.11% (95% CI: 57.1-85.8), specificity was 61.11 (95% CI: 48.9-72.4) and sensitivity was 82.93%-91.8) and a specificity of 43.06% (31.4-55.3). In logistic regression analysis, the risk of atherosclerosis was 0.248 times at waist circumference (WC)> 76 cm, 3.475 times at low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C) ${\geq}124mg/dL$, 0.618 at HbA1c> 5.4% It appeared as a times. We suggest that prospective study of carotid artery ultrasound should be performed for the effective prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

• Journal of health informatics and statistics
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.49-56
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• 2016

Objectives: Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and the presence of carotid artery plaque are widely used as preclinical markers of atherosclerosis. Due to operator dependency in measuring CIMT, it is important to evaluate the reliability of measuring CIMT and plaque between centers in a multicenter study. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the inter-rater reliability of CIMT and plaque presence among three clinical centers of the Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disease Etiology Research Center (CMERC). Methods: Twenty people without known cardiovascular disease (age 37-64) were enrolled during 2014-2015, and their left and right carotid arteries were examined repeatedly with ultrasonography for CIMT measurements at three clinical centers according to a predetermined protocol. Maximum and mean values of CIMT at distal common carotid artery were recorded. Plaque presence at a carotid artery was checked by an operator. The reliability of CIMT and carotid plaque presence was assessed using an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and kappa statistics, respectively. Results: Calculated ICC was 0.647 (95% CI: 0.487-0.779) for maximum CIMT, and 0.758 (95% CI: 0.632- 0.854) for mean CIMT. In Bland Altman plot, most observed values were distributed within mean difference ${\pm}1.96$ SD ranges. Kappa statistics of plaque presence between two centers were 0.304 (center 1 and 2), 0.507 (center 1 and 3), and 0.606 (center 2 and 3), respectively, while Fleiss kappa for overall agreement was 0.445. Conclusions: The inter-rater reliability of CIMT measurements among three clinical centers turned out to be high, and the agreement of measuring carotid plaque presence was fair.

• The Journal of the Korean life insurance medical association
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• v.28 no.1_2
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• pp.11-14
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• 2009

It is common to find cerebral infarct and hemorrhage without definite neurologic signs but with lesions on neuroimaging. These lesions are called silent lacunar infarct and cerebral microbleed. Silent lacunar infarct are frequently seen in the elderly and are associated with clinically apparent stroke and vascular dementia. Known stroke risk factors, such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, smoking, hypercholesterolemia and heart problems may increase the risk of silent lacunar infarct. Metabolic syndrome, homocysteinemia, renal failure and intima media thickness(IMT) are also other risk factors of the silent lacunar infarct. Cerebral microbleed, lacunar infarct and intracerebral hemorrhage(ICH) have similar pathology and pathogenesis. So, cerebral microbleed are coexisted with lacunar infarct, leukoaraiosis, hypertensive ICH and vascular dementia. Cerebral microbleed are associated with volume and recurrence of ICH. Also cerebral microbleed may reflect baseline status of blood brain barrior disruption. Silent lacunar infarct and cerebral microbleed are very important to clinical management, but in the aspect of insurance medicine and independent medical examiners, these lesions are not subject of evaluation for handicap.

• Journal of Korea Association of Health Promotion
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.12-27
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• 2006

"본 논문은 대한내과학회지 2006년 제70권 제3호에 실렸던 논문으로 대한내과학회 편집위원회의 승인을 득하고 본 협회지에 게재함. Background : Diabetes mellitus is a major independent risk factor for atherosclerosis. In recent years non-invasive high resolution B-mode ultrasound methods have been developed to measure the intima-media thickness(IMT) of the carotid artery as an indicator for early atherosclerosis. Itis known that obesity plays a role in the development of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and it has also been reported that not only the amount but also the distribution of body fat is important. This study investigated the relationship between obesity and the development of carotid atherosclerosis in type 2 diabetic patients. Methods: Carotid IMT was measured by ultrasound B-mode imaging in 144 patients with type 2diabetes mellitus. All subjects underwent assessment for the degree and distribution of obesity, the presence of coronary artery disease risk factors, and the presence of diabetic complications. Resuts: Carotid IMT was increased in the abdominal obese group defined by waist circurference. However, there was no significant difference in carotid TMT between the non-obese group and obese group as defined by body mass index, waist to hip ratio, and total body fat percent measured by bio electrical impedance analysis. There were positive correlations between carotid IMT and age, duration of diabetes, systolic blood pressure, and waist circumference. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed the variable that interacted independently with carotid IMT was age in type 2 diabetic patients. Carotid IMT was significantly increased in type 2 diabetic patients with macrovascular complications and microvascvlar complications .Conclusion: This study suggested that abdominal obesity rather than general obesity was associated with carotid atherosclerosis reflected by increment of carotid IMT in type 2 diabetic subjects.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Near Infrared Spectroscopy Conference
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• 2001.06a
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• pp.4103-4103
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• 2001

The aim of this study was to examine whether near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is an acceptable tool to determine cholesterol and collagen in human atherosclerotic plaque without destruction of the analyzed areas and without danger the endothelial cells - three preconditions for the development of a NIR-heart-catheter. The questions were: Can the cholesterol and collagen content of the arterial intima be estimated with acceptable precision in vitro by NIRS despite the matrix inhomogeneity of the plaques and their anatomic variability\ulcorner How deep can such NIR radiation penetrate into arterial tissue without danger for endothelial cells\ulcorner Is this penetration sufficient for information on the lipid and collagen accumulation\ulcorner Using NIRS, cholesterol and collagen can be determined with acceptable precision in model mixtures and human aortic specimens (r=0,896 to 0,957). The chemical reference method was HPLC. The energy dose was 71 mW/$cm^{-2}$ using a fiber optic strand with a length of 1.5m and an optical window of d=4mm. This dose appears to be not dangerous for endothelial cells, It will be attenuated to 50% by a arterial tissue of about 170-$200\mu\textrm{m}$ thickness. The results are also acceptable using a thin coronary catheter-like fiber optic strand (d=1mm).

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.51 no.7
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• pp.747-753
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• 2008

Purpose : Diabetes mellitus is a major risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease. Early atherosclerotic changes in the arterial walls begin in adolescence and the risk factors are associated with its development. To assess the usefulness of carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT), as a marker of early atherosclerosis, we evaluated the structural and functional characteristics of the carotid artery and investigated their relationshop with the metabolic and anthropometric parameters in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes. Methods : For this study, we enrolled 23 children with type 1 diabet and 19 age and sex-equivalent healthy children as the control group. Metabolic and anthropometric parameters such as serum lipid levels, plasma glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and body mass index were measured after a 12-h fasting period. The carotid artery IMT was measured by a high-quality ultrasound system, and compliance, and distensibility were calculated by an equation. Results : There were no significant differences between the 2 groups with regard to the sex ratio, age, blood pressure and serum cholesterol levels' however, HbA1c levels were significantly higher in the diabetic children ($8.5{\pm}1.8$ vs. $5.0{\pm}0.2$, P=0.001). Ultrasonographic findings showed that compared with the control group, the diabetic group had higher IMT ($0.45{\pm}0.06mm$ vs. $0.41{\pm}0.04mm$, P=0.04), but there were no significant differences in compliance and distensibility. The HbA1c (P=0.002) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (P=0.026) levels were independent IMT predictors in the diabetic group. Conclusion : Here, the carotid artery IMT was higher in the diabetic group, and it is correlated with atherosclerotic risk factor. Thus, carotid IMT could be evaluated as a marker of early atherosclerosis in diabetic children.