Femoral Artery Ultrasound Examination

Abstract

We compared intima-media thickness (IMT) and the prevalence of plaques in the common carotid artery (CCA) and common femoral artery (CFA) in apparently healthy participants. This multicenter study included 322 participants (59.9% female; age 20-78 years, mean 52.1 ± 15.3 years) who underwent Echo-color Doppler examination of the CCA and CFA bilaterally. Prevalence and composition of plaque were recorded. A significant ( P < .01) difference between mean CCA-IMT and mean CFA-IMT was detected (0.70 vs 0.73 mm). Plaque prevalence was significantly higher in the CFA compared to the CCA (40.7% vs 30.4%). Atherosclerotic plaques were found in both CFA and CCA in 46% of the cases, solely in CFA in 38%, and in CCA alone in 17%. The observed difference in plaque prevalence was even greater when only fibrolipid isolated plaques were considered (CFA 39.4% vs CCA 22.1%). In a healthy general population, atherosclerotic plaques were present in the CFA but not in the CCA in over one-third of the cases. Further studies must confirm whether ultrasonography of the CFA might be introduced in the screening protocols for cardiovascular risk assessment.

Subclinical atherosclerosis in psoriasis. Usefulness of femoral artery ultrasound for the diagnosis, and analysis of its relationship with insulin resistance

“…According to our findings, information on femoral plaques is more useful than information on carotid plaques to identify atherosclerosis in patients with psoriasis. However, while our findings are in accordance with studies in healthy subjects [14–17] they differ from some previous studies in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), which reported a higher prevalence of carotid than femoral plaques [37–39]. We have no simple explanation for the discordant results, but it is possible that RA and SLE might have a differential impact on arterial territories due to poorly understood immunological, environmental, and/or genetic risk factors.…”

B-Mode ultrasound assessment of intima-media thickness of common carotid, internal carotid, brachial, femoral arteries and abdominal aorta in patients with cardiovascular risk factor

“…Kirhmajer MV et al [22] reported in their study that a close association exists between F-IMT and severity of CAD; and F-IMT may be used as a novel determinant for CV risk factor such as CC-IMT. Another study conducted demonstrated that formation of atherosclerotic plaque is more in common femoral artery when compared with carotid artery; and F-IMT is thicker than CC-IMT [23]. Similarly, we detected that thickness of F-IMT is more than CC-IMT in the patients with CV risk factors.…”

Association between Carotid Wall Shear Rate and Arterial Stiffness in Patients with Hypertension and Atherosclerosis of Peripheral Arteries

“…Carotid IMT (CIMT) was calculated using automated (Auto IMT™, Samsung Medison EKO7, Korea) method. Mean CIMT (CIMT m ) was defined as the arithmetic mean IMT of the left and right CCA IMT [ 14 , 15 ]. The percentage of stenosis of the carotid arteries was assessed using ECST method.…”