Control study of sonographic assessment of artery using echo-tracking technique and pulse-Doppler in SD rats / 中华超声影像学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To ascertain the utility and difference of sonography with echo-tracking (ET) technique and pulse-Doppler to assess vascular stiffness in rats with hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis.Methods Sonography associated with ET technique and pulse-Doppler were used to measure stiffness parameter (β),arterial compliance (AC),distensibility coefficient (DC),one-point pulse wave velocity (PWVβ),resistence index(RI),peak systolic velocity(PSV),end-diastolic velocity(EDV) and EDV/PSV of the aorta in cholesterol-fed SD rats (group T1,n =10,for 4 weeks;group T2,n =10,for 12 weeks) and normal control rats(group C1,n =10;group C2,n =10).All parameters and blood biochemical markers[total cholesterol(TC),triglycerides(TG),low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-CH) and highdensity lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-CH)] among groups were analyzed with ANOVE factor analysis.Correlation was analyzed with Pearson analysis.Light microscopic evaluation were used to demonstrate atherosclerotic changes in the aorta.Results The PWVβ value and PSV of the aorta between group T1 and T2 were significantly different (P =0.001,P ＜0.05).The β,PWVβ values of the aorta in group T1 and T2 were significantly higher than those of group C1 and C2 (P ＜0.05).AC and DC values of the aorta in group T1 and T2 were significantly lower than those of group C1 and C2 (P ＜0.05).Correlation analysis showsed that RI was positively correlated with systolic pressure(P ＜0.05).All parameters had correlated with each other among β,PWVβ,AC,DC,TG,TC,systolic pressure and diastolic pressure.DC and AC were negatively correlated with β and PWVβ,also DC was negatively correlated with TG.Light microscopy confirmed morphologic typical changes of aortic atherosclerosis in group T1 and T2.Conclusions Sonography with the ET method compared with pulse-Doppler is much more sensitive and it can be used to evaluate tissue elastic changes in arterial walls associated with atherosclerosis and hypercholesterolemia.PSV can reflect atherosclerosis of rat's abdominal aorta well,but pulse-Doppler is limited in the diagnosis of earlier atherosclerosis period.