High-resolution Ultrasound Speckle Tracking May Detect Vascular Mechanical Wall Changes in Peripheral Artery Bypass Vein Grafts

Abstract

We report the use of high-resolution, phase-sensitive ultrasound speckle tracking to measure the local vessel-wall strain in two subjects with artery-vein bypass grafts. In addition, we combined this technique with a free-hand pressure equalization procedure to elucidate the non-linear effects of blood pressure on vessel wall compliance. While conventional ultrasound imaging can be used to elucidate the mechanical properties of tissues within the body, it is constrained by comparatively lower resolution and inferential, rather than direct measurments of strain and by the small strain normally produced under physiologic pressure in highly nonlinear structures such as arteries. One of our subjects was examined both before and after developing stenosis 3 months post-surgery. The strain values for this individual were found to be significantly lower indicating a stiffer vessel wall at the stenotic region than at a non-stenotic region under both physiologic and equalized pressure. These results suggest the possibility of noninvasive detection of the neointimal hyperplasia preceding anastomotic stenosis.

Imaging the elastic properties of tissue: the 20 year perspective

“…The newest application of elastography to clinical disease states involves vascular pathology, including assessment of thrombus age and overall vascular compliance (de Korte et al 2000, Biswas et al 2010, Weitzel et al 2009. Rubin et al have shown marked changes in stiffness of common femoral clots as they age (Xie et al 2004).…”

An Open-Source Ultrasound Software for Diagnosis of Fistula Maturation

“…These three parameters have been measured by previous investigators to determine vascular mechanics. 15–18 Our purpose was to measure these three parameters to predict AV fistula maturation through semi-automated digital image correlation methods.…”

“…Previous research has demonstrated the feasibility of measuring vascular elasticity using radiofrequency (RF) data. 15,16 However, clinicians are limited to access the RF data in clinical ultrasound machines. Instead, most clinical ultrasound machines provide the digital imaging and communications in medicine (DICOM) data.…”

Venous Elastography: Validation of a Novel High‐Resolution Ultrasound Method for Measuring Vein Compliance Using Finite Element Analysis

“…This elasticity‐imaging technique using high‐resolution ultrasound speckle tracking has the potential to give highly reliable and accurate measurements of the physical and mechanical characteristics of a vessel with unprecedented spatial resolution. Recently, this method has been applied to peripheral artery bypass grafts and dialysis fistula imaging (14,15). As vein mechanics may play a role in preoperative assessment for dialysis fistula creation, we sought to evaluate the feasibility of applying this method during dilation of a vein undergoing preoperative ultrasound mapping.…”