Ultrasonography Grading of Internal Carotid Artery Disease: Multiparametric German Society of Ultrasound in Medicine (DEGUM) versus Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound (SRU) Consensus Criteria

Abstract

Purpose We sought to determine the diagnostic agreement between the revised ultrasonography approach by the German Society of Ultrasound in Medicine (DEGUM) and the established Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound (SRU) consensus criteria for the grading of carotid artery disease.

Materials and Methods Post-hoc analysis of a prospective multicenter study, in which patients underwent ultrasonography and digital subtraction angiography (DSA) of carotid arteries for validation of the DEGUM approach. According to DEGUM and SRU ultrasonography criteria, carotid arteries were independently categorized into clinically relevant NASCET strata (normal, mild [1–49 %], moderate [50–69 %], severe [70–99 %], occlusion). On DSA, carotid artery findings according to NASCET were considered the reference standard.

Results We analyzed 158 ultrasonography and DSA carotid artery pairs. There was substantial agreement between both ultrasonography approaches for severe (κw 0.76, CI95 %: 0.66–0.86), but only fair agreement for moderate (κw 0.38, CI95 %: 0.19–0.58) disease categories. Compared with DSA, both ultrasonography approaches were of equal sensitivity (79.7 % versus 79.7 %; p = 1.0) regarding the identification of severe stenosis, yet the DEGUM approach was more specific than the SRU approach (70.2 % versus 56.4 %, p = 0.0002). There was equality of accuracy parameters (p > 0.05) among both ultrasonography approaches for the other ranges of carotid artery disease.

Conclusion While the sensitivity was equivalent, false-positive identification of severe carotid artery stenosis appears to be more frequent when using the SRU ultrasonography approach than the revised multiparametric DEGUM approach.

Zusammenfassung

Ziel Bestimmung der diagnostischen Übereinstimmung zwischen den multiparametrischen Ultraschallkriterien der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Ultraschall in der Medizin (DEGUM) und den Konsenskriterien der Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound (SRU) hinsichtlich der Graduierung von Karotisstenosen.

Material und Methoden Post-hoc-Analyse einer prospektiven multizentrischen Studie, welche die multiparametrischen DEGUM-Ultraschallkriterien mit der digitalen Subtraktionsangiografie validierte. Die Graduierung von Karotisstenosen in klinisch relevante NASCET-Kategorien (normal, leichtgradig (1–49 %), mittelgradig (50–69 %), hochgradig (70–99 %), Verschluss) erfolgte verblindet gemäß der DEGUM- und SRU-Ultraschallkriterien. Als Referenz wurde der nach NASCET bestimmte angiografische Stenosegrad verwendet.

Ergebnisse Wir analysierten 158 konsekutive Untersuchungen aus Ultraschall und Angiografie. Zwischen beiden sonografischen Graduierungsansätzen fand sich eine gute Übereinstimmung für hochgradige (κw 0,76; 95 %-KI 0,66–0,86) und eine mäßige Übereinstimmung für mittelgradige Stenosen (κw 0,38; 95 %-KI 0,19–0,58). Verglichen mit der Referenzangiografie fand sich kein Unterschied hinsichtlich Sensitivität für hochgradige Stenosen (79,7 % versus 79,7 %; p = 1,0), jedoch eine höhere Spezifität der DEGUM-Kriterien (70,2 % versus 56,4 %; p = 0,0002). In den sonstigen Stenosekategorien bestanden keine Unterschiede der Güteparameter (p > 0,05).

Schlussfolgerung Verglichen mit den SRU-Kriterien weist die Graduierung nach DEGUM eine höhere Spezifität bei der Detektion hochgradiger Stenosen auf. Die Integration von mehr hämodynamischen Parametern scheint somit die Anzahl falsch positiver Diagnosen zu verringern.

Key words

angiography - ultrasonography - diagnostic accuracy - carotid artery disease - vascular

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