Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound Feasibility in Assessing Carotid Plaque Vulnerability—Narrative Review

The risk assessment for carotid atherosclerotic lesions involves not only determining the degree of stenosis but also plaque morphology and its composition. Recently, carotid contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) has gained importance for evaluating vulnerable plaques. This review explores CEUS’s util...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ewa Kopyto, Marcin Czeczelewski, Eryk Mikos, Karol Stępniak, Maja Kopyto, Małgorzata Matuszek, Karolina Nieoczym, Adam Czarnecki, Maryla Kuczyńska, Mateusz Cheda, Anna Drelich-Zbroja, Tomasz Jargiełło
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-10-01
Series:Journal of Clinical Medicine
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/12/19/6416
Description
Summary:The risk assessment for carotid atherosclerotic lesions involves not only determining the degree of stenosis but also plaque morphology and its composition. Recently, carotid contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) has gained importance for evaluating vulnerable plaques. This review explores CEUS’s utility in detecting carotid plaque surface irregularities and ulcerations as well as intraplaque neovascularization and its alignment with histology. Initial indications suggest that CEUS might have the potential to anticipate cerebrovascular incidents. Nevertheless, there is a need for extensive, multicenter prospective studies that explore the relationships between CEUS observations and patient clinical outcomes in cases of carotid atherosclerotic disease.
ISSN:2077-0383