Shear-Wave Elastography in Carotid Plaques: Comparison with Grayscale Median and Histological Assessment in an Interesting Case

Background

The current selection of patients for carotid endarterectomy surgery is heavily reliant on the degree of stenosis. However, this is a poor individual marker (P Rothwell et al. The Lancet 2004; 363: 915–924). This case report utilized a novel ultrasound imaging technique called shear-wave elastography, which quantifies the Young’s Modulus (YM) of tissue. Clinical studies using shear-wave elastography have focused on the assessment of malignancy (D Cosgrove et al. Ultraschall in Med. 2013; 34: 238–253). However, its use in carotid plaque is novel. We consider the potential clinical application of SWE for imaging carotid plaques in comparison with the grayscale median (GSM) and histological assessment in an interesting case study.