Recent developments in vascular ultrasound technology

Abstract

This article describes four technologies relevant to vascular ultrasound which are available commercially in 2015, and traces their origin back through the research literature. The technologies are 3D ultrasound and its use in plaque volume estimation (first described in 1994), colour vector Doppler for flow visualisation (1994), wall motion for estimation of arterial stiffness (1968), and shear wave elastography imaging of the arterial wall (2010). Overall these technologies have contributed to the understanding of vascular disease but have had little impact on clinical practice. The basic toolkit for vascular ultrasound has for the last 25 years been real-time B-mode, colour flow and spectral Doppler. What has changed over this time is improvement in image quality. Looking ahead it is noted that 2D array transducers and high frame rate imaging continue to spread through the commercial vascular ultrasound sector and both have the potential to impact on clinical practice.

Ultrasonographic characterization of lingual structures pertinent to oral, periodontal, and implant surgery

“…In medicine, the use of non‐ionizing ultrasound has been established and advocated for many years (Bhaskar, Chan, MacEachern, & Kripfgans, ; Hoskins & Kenwright, ; Moskalik et al, ; Oelze & Mamou, ). In dentistry, its advantage for providing low‐cost real‐time cross‐sectional images can be quite useful as it relates to providing optimal soft tissue contrast of pertinent anatomical structures and the peri‐implant tissues (Bhaskar et al, ; Chan, Sinjab, et al, ; Chan et al, ).…”

Research quality in the study of mechanical methods of deep vein thrombosis prophylaxis

“…Technological developments, principally improved image quality, improved noise and artefact suppression, and greater resolution and sensitivity of colour flow means that the sensitivity, but more particularly the specificity of ultrasound scanning of DVT will have improved since ultrasound became a widely available technique. [46][47][48] Many of the controlled trials reporting the use of mechanical prophylaxis will have used ultrasound equipment that would now be obsolete, and the results of which would not reflect those that could be achieved today.…”

Vascular ultrasound, the potential of integration of multiparametric ultrasound into routine clinical practice

“…26 Moreover, 3D US detects more ulcerations compared to conventional techniques and offers superior inter-observer agreement. 27 Kuk et al 28 have used 3D US to prospectively follow-up patients with carotid stenosis and showed that a total volume of ulcerations > 5 mm 3 was associated with a significantly higher risk of developing stroke or transient ischemic attack, myocardial infarction or death.…”

“…These additional applications include contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), elastography and 3D US. 2,3 The purpose of this review is to present insights into the recent developments and clinical applications of vascular US, regarding carotid atherosclerosis, abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), portal vein and peripheral veins thrombosis.…”