Comparison of threeª²dimensional ultrasonography and twoª²dimensional ultrasonography in elderly patients with carotid atherosclerosis

    XING Jinª²Fang, CAO Tieª²Sheng, DUAN Yunª²You

    Department of Ultrasonography£¬ Tangdu Hospital£¬ Fourth Military Medical University£¬ Xi¡¯an 710038£¬ China

    ¡¾Abstract¡¿ AIM: To evaluate the characteristics and clinical value of threeª²dimensional color Doppler imaging in elderly patients with carotid atherosclerosis by comparing it with twoª²dimensional ultrasonic imaging. METHODS: Forty elderly patients with carotid atherosclerosis, aged from 60 to 82 years and confirmed to have one or more atheromatous plaques by twoª²dimensional ultrasonography, were examined. The instruments used included Acuson X/P 128 color Doppler ultrasonography diagnosis system with L5/7 MHz linear array transducer and TomTec threeª²dimensional color Doppler ultrasonography system (Echoscan 4.2). The freeª²hand mode of acquiring imaging was employed. The process of scanning included sector scanning along arterial longª²axis and parallel scanning along arterial shortª²axis. The threeª²dimensional reconstructions and displays of carotid artery were conducted offª²line. RESULTS: The threeª²dimensional examinations of all patients were conducted successfully. The threeª²dimensional reconstruction images of carotid artery displayed stereo structure of common carotid artery, internal carotid artery and external carotid artery continuously and completely, and showed the stereo shape, surface character and exact position of plaque, volume of vessel, and spatial distribution of blood flow in a way of direct perception. CONCLUSION: Commpared with the twoª²dimension ultrasonography, the threeª²dimensional color Doppler ultrasonography of elder patients with carotid atherosclerosis is more intuitionistic of the pathological changes, more exhaustive of the pathological characteristics and more accurate in the pathological evaluation. ......