Speckle-Tracking-Based Evaluation of Vascular Strain at Different Sites of the Arterial Tree in Healthy Adults

Abstract

Purpose: Vascular ultrasound (US) allows the analysis of vascular strain by speckle-tracking. This study sought to assess the extent to which vas cular strain varies between different segments of the arterial tree. Furthermore, this study aimed to investigate the reproducibility of vascular strain determination as well as of the components that contribute to the variance of vascular strain measurements in different vascular beds.

Materials and Methods: Speckle-tracking was used to determine the vascular strain of the abdominal aorta (AA), the common carotid artery (CCA), the common femoral (CFA) and the popliteal artery (PA) of healthy adults. Intra- and interday reproducibility and the components of variance of vascular strain of the respective arteries were determined.

Results: A total of 589 US clips obtained in 10 healthy adults (7 males, 28.3 ± 3.2 years) were analyzable. Vascular strain was 7.2 ± 3.0 % in the AA, 5.7 ± 2.1 % in the CCA, 2.1 ± 1.1 % in the CFA and 1.9 ± 1.1 % in the PA. The intraday coefficients of variation of vascular strain were 6.2 % (AA), 3.9 % (CCA), 3.3 % (CFA) and 6.1 % (PA), and the interday coefficients of variation were 5.9 % (AA), 8.4 % (CCA), 10 % (CFA) and 4.6 % (PA). The variance of vascular strain mainly depended on the investigated vessel and subject. Individual DUS clips, the day of examination and the (right/left) body side (in paired arteries) had no impact on the variance of vascular strain.

Conclusion: Vascular strain substantially varies between different sites of the arterial tree. Speckle-tracking by DUS allows the reliable determination of vascular strain at different arterial sites.

Zusammenfassung

Ziel: Vaskulärer Strain (Gefäßwandspannung) kann mit Gefäßultraschall (US) und Speckle-Tracking bestimmt werden. Ziel dieser Studie ist es zu untersuchen, in welchem Ausmaß sich vaskulärer Strain zwischen einzelnen Gefäßabschnitten unterscheidet. Zudem sollen die Reproduzierbarkeit und die Varianzkomponenten vaskulärer Strain-Messungen in den verschiedenen Gefäßabschnitten bestimmt werden.

Material und Methoden: Mittels Speckle-Tracking wurde der vaskuläre Strain der Aorta abdominalis (AA), der Arteria carotis communis (ACC), der Arteria femoralis communis (AFC) sowie der Arteria poplitea (AP) bei gesunden Individuen bestimmt. Die Reproduzierbarkeit und die Varianzkomponenten der vaskulären Strain-Untersuchungen wurden je Proband durch 3 Untersuchungen pro Tag über 3 verschiedene Tagen ermittelt.

Ergebnisse: Insgesamt wurden 589 US-Clips von 10 gesunden Erwachsenen analysiert (7 Männer, 28,3 ± 3,2 Jahre). Der vaskuläre Strain betrug 7,2 ± 3,0 % in der AA, 5,7 ± 2,1 % in der ACC, 2,1 ± 1,1 % in der AFC und 1,9 ± 1,1 % in der AP. Der Variationskoeffizienten von vaskulärem Strain innerhalb eines Tages betrug 6,2 % (AA), 3,9 % (ACC), 3,3 % (AFC) und 6,1 % (AP), an unterschiedlichen Tagen betrug der Variationskoeffizienten 5,9 % (AA), 8,4 % (ACC), 10 % (AFC) und 4,6 % (AP). Die Varianz des vaskulären Strain hing vor allem vom untersuchten Gefäßabschnitt und dem jeweiligen Probanden ab. Der Untersuchungstag, der jeweilige US-Clip und die Körperseite (rechts/links bei paarig angelegten Gefäßen) hatte keinen Einfluss auf die Varianz.

Schlussfolgerung: Vaskulärer Strain variiert zwischen unterschiedlichen Gefäßabschnitten. Mit Speckle-Tracking kann vaskulärer Strain an unterschiedlichen Abschnitten des Gefäßsystems verlässlich bestimmt werden.

Key words

ultrasound Doppler - ultrasound - arteries - aorta - strain - speckle-tracking - duplex ultrasound - vascular elasticity

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