CEUS in evaluation on microvascular perfusion in hypertension patients with carotid artery hypoechoic plaques in different blood pressure conditions / 中国医学影像技术

ABSTRACT

Objective: To evaluate the degree of microvascular perfusion in hypertension patients with carotid artery hypoechoic plaques with semi-quantitative and quantitative CEUS under different blood pressure conditions. Methods: Totally 27 hypertension patients with carotid artery hypoechoic plaques were collected, 24 h ambulatory blood pressure was monitored to observe the highest and lowest blood pressure within 24 h, and the differences of plaque enhancement grade and enhancement intensity were compared between the two blood pressure states. The correlation between systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and enhancement intensity was analyzed. Results: There was no significant difference in the enhancement grade of hypoechoic plaques between the highest and lowest blood pressure (Z=0.36, P>0.05), but there was significant difference of intra-plaque enhancement intensity (t=2.44, P=0.02). The enhancement intensity in plaques was positively correlated with systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure. Conclusion: Blood pressure should be taken into account when CEUS of carotid plaques are performed in hypertension patients. The enhancement intensity of hypoechoic plaques is different under different blood pressure conditions.