Characterization of Carotid Atherosclerotic Plaques by Measurement of Acoustic Impedance

Year 2018, Volume: 14 Issue: 3, 321 - 325, 30.09.2018

Bükem Bilen , Ülkü Kafa , Mehmet Burçin Ünlü

https://doi.org/10.18466/cbayarfbe.442817

Abstract

In
this study, acoustic properties of carotid atherosclerotic plaques are studied
ex vivo by scanning acoustic microscope (SAM). Human carotid atherosclerotic
plaques were collected from patients by carotid erdarterectomy operation
technique. An 80 MHz transducer was used in SAM, during the observation of the
plaques. For the fibrous tissue, acoustic impedance was measured as 2.02 ± 0.06 MRayl, while for the lipid pool it was
measured as 1.70 ± 0.07 MRayl and for the calcified region within
the intima it was measured as 2.23 ± 0.09 MRayl. The difference in acoustic
impedance values is due to the variation of elasticity within the
atherosclerotic plaques. Lipid pool, together with fibrous tissue and calcified
regions are the indications of vulnerable plaques, therefore, the determination
of these regions within the plaques by SAM will help to evaluate the risk of
thrombosis or stenosis and effect the decision making of the operations of the
patients.

Keywords

Scanning acoustic microscopy, carotid artery, atherosclerosis, vulnerable plaque, acoustic impedance

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