Noninvasive Measurement of Pulsatile Carotid Plaque Deformation by Strain Tensor Ellipses: Possible Determinate of Symptomatology

摘要

Previous studies have focused on examination of stenosis, geometry, ulceration, etc. as a determinant of atherosclerotic plaque rupture. In this work we focus on direct examination of the deformation that results from these conditions, the local plaque strain. We propose the presentation of this deformation as ellipse glyphs overlaid on structural images of the plaque. The ellipse simultaneously relates both the magnitude and orientation of local deformations. Composition with a structural image provides insight into spatial variations that may be significant, such abrupt changes in strain magnitude over the plaque. This noninvasive method of quantification of carotid plaque strain with pulsatile deformation may be useful in the prediction of prolonged subclinical embolic insult.