Correlation between enhanced intensity of atherosclerotic plaque at contrast-enhanced ultrasonography and density of histological neovascularization / 华中科技大学学报（医学）（英德文版）

The feasibility of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography in the assessment of atherosclerotic plaque neovascularization and its relation to histological findings were investigated. Abdominal aortic atherosclerotic plaque model was induced in 25 New Zealand white rabbits by a combination of high cholesterol-rich diet and balloon aortic denudation. Standard and contrast-enhanced ultrasonography was performed at the 16th week of the model induction period. The plaques were classified as echogenic plaques or echolucent plaques according to their echogenicity at standard ultrasonography. The maximum thickness of plaque was measured in the longitudinal section. Time intensity curve was used to quantify the enhanced intensity of the plaque. Animals were euthanized and abdominal aortas were harvested for histological staining of CD31 to evaluate the neovascularization density of atherosclerotic plaque. The results showed that the echolucent plaques had higher enhanced intensity during contrastenhanced ultrasonography and higher neovascularization density at CD31 staining than the echogenic plaques. The enhanced intensity of atherosclerotic plaque and its ratio to lumen were well correlated with histological neovascularization density (r=0.75, P<0.001; r=0.68, P<0.001, respectively). However, the maximum thickness of plaque was not correlated with neovascularization density (r=0.235, P=0.081). These findings demonstrated that the enhanced intensity in the plaque and ratio of enhanced intensity to that in the lumen of abdominal aorta may be more accurate in the evaluation of plaque neovascularization than maximum thickness. Our study indicates that contrast-enhanced ultrasonography provides us a reliable method for the evaluation of plaque neovascularization.

Left ventricular systolic strain of the cardiac allograft evaluated with three-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography / 华中科技大学学报（医学）（英德文版）

Three-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography was employed to evaluate the changes of left ventricular systolic strain in 23 heart transplant recipients at 1st, 3rd, 6th and 12th month after heart transplantation, and 23 healthy subjects served as controls. The three-dimensional full-volume echocardiographic images of left ventricle were recorded and then were analyzed using EchoPAC software. The strain curves and peak systolic strain values for each segment and overall left ventricular wall were obtained. Left ventricular global peak longitudinal strain (GPSL), global peak radial strain (GPSR), global peak circumferential strain (GPSC) and global peak area strain (GPSA) were measured and then statistically analyzed. There were no significant differences in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and cardiac output (CO) between heart transplant recipients and controls. The GPSL in heart transplant recipients at 1st month after surgery was significantly lower than that in controls, but close to the normal value at 3rd month after surgery and later. The GPSC, GPSA and GPSR were significantly lower in heart transplant recipients at 1st, 3rd, 6th and 12th month after surgery than those in controls. It is suggested that three-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography can be used for monitoring changes of left ventricular systolic strains and evaluating left ventricular systolic function in cardiac allograft.

Correlation between enhanced intensity of atherosclerotic plaque at contrast-enhanced ultrasonography and density of histological neovascularization / 华中科技大学学报（医学）（英德文版）

The feasibility of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography in the assessment of atherosclerotic plaque neovascularization and its relation to histological findings were investigated. Abdominal aortic atherosclerotic plaque model was induced in 25 New Zealand white rabbits by a combination of high cholesterol-rich diet and balloon aortic denudation. Standard and contrast-enhanced ultrasonography was performed at the 16th week of the model induction period. The plaques were classified as echogenic plaques or echolucent plaques according to their echogenicity at standard ultrasonography. The maximum thickness of plaque was measured in the longitudinal section. Time intensity curve was used to quantify the enhanced intensity of the plaque. Animals were euthanized and abdominal aortas were harvested for histological staining of CD31 to evaluate the neovascularization density of atherosclerotic plaque. The results showed that the echolucent plaques had higher enhanced intensity during contrastenhanced ultrasonography and higher neovascularization density at CD31 staining than the echogenic plaques. The enhanced intensity of atherosclerotic plaque and its ratio to lumen were well correlated with histological neovascularization density (r=0.75, P<0.001; r=0.68, P<0.001, respectively). However, the maximum thickness of plaque was not correlated with neovascularization density (r=0.235, P=0.081). These findings demonstrated that the enhanced intensity in the plaque and ratio of enhanced intensity to that in the lumen of abdominal aorta may be more accurate in the evaluation of plaque neovascularization than maximum thickness. Our study indicates that contrast-enhanced ultrasonography provides us a reliable method for the evaluation of plaque neovascularization.

Left ventricular systolic strain of the cardiac allograft evaluated with three-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography / 华中科技大学学报（医学）（英德文版）

Three-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography was employed to evaluate the changes of left ventricular systolic strain in 23 heart transplant recipients at 1st, 3rd, 6th and 12th month after heart transplantation, and 23 healthy subjects served as controls. The three-dimensional full-volume echocardiographic images of left ventricle were recorded and then were analyzed using EchoPAC software. The strain curves and peak systolic strain values for each segment and overall left ventricular wall were obtained. Left ventricular global peak longitudinal strain (GPSL), global peak radial strain (GPSR), global peak circumferential strain (GPSC) and global peak area strain (GPSA) were measured and then statistically analyzed. There were no significant differences in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and cardiac output (CO) between heart transplant recipients and controls. The GPSL in heart transplant recipients at 1st month after surgery was significantly lower than that in controls, but close to the normal value at 3rd month after surgery and later. The GPSC, GPSA and GPSR were significantly lower in heart transplant recipients at 1st, 3rd, 6th and 12th month after surgery than those in controls. It is suggested that three-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography can be used for monitoring changes of left ventricular systolic strains and evaluating left ventricular systolic function in cardiac allograft.