BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the significance of the three-layered appearance of coronary arteries in adolescence and adults from intravascular ultrasound scans and to correlate these observations with histopathology. METHODS AND RESULTS: Sixteen intact hearts were excised at autopsy from patients with no clinical history of coronary artery disease. The patients' ages ranged from 13 to 55 years. A 30-MHz ultrasound imaging catheter was used to obtain images throughout the epicardial coronary vasculature. A total of 72 image cross sections was marked by epivascular sutures, and the corresponding histological sections were examined. Ultrasound images were classified into two groups: images exhibiting three-layered appearance and images without distinct layering. Histological analysis revealed a significantly greater degree of intimal thickening in segments with three layers (243 +/- 105 microns) than in nonlayered segments (112 +/- 55 microns). Discriminant analysis of these data predicted the threshold between the two groups to be 178 microns. Measurements of medial thickness were not different between these two groups (235 +/- 61 versus 210 +/- 76 microns). In the nonlayered group, the average patient age was 27.1 +/- 8.5 years, whereas in the three-layered groups, the average age was 42.8 +/- 9.8 years. CONCLUSIONS: The intracoronary ultrasound image appearance of young, morphologically normal coronary artery walls is homogeneous without layering. A three-layered appearance suggests the presence of at least 178 microns of intimal thickening and is seen more frequently with advancing age.
BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the significance of the three-layered appearance of coronary arteries in adolescence and adults from intravascular ultrasound scans and to correlate these observations with histopathology. METHODS AND RESULTS: Sixteen intact hearts were excised at autopsy from patients with no clinical history of coronary artery disease. The patients' ages ranged from 13 to 55 years. A 30-MHz ultrasound imaging catheter was used to obtain images throughout the epicardial coronary vasculature. A total of 72 image cross sections was marked by epivascular sutures, and the corresponding histological sections were examined. Ultrasound images were classified into two groups: images exhibiting three-layered appearance and images without distinct layering. Histological analysis revealed a significantly greater degree of intimal thickening in segments with three layers (243 +/- 105 microns) than in nonlayered segments (112 +/- 55 microns). Discriminant analysis of these data predicted the threshold between the two groups to be 178 microns. Measurements of medial thickness were not different between these two groups (235 +/- 61 versus 210 +/- 76 microns). In the nonlayered group, the average patient age was 27.1 +/- 8.5 years, whereas in the three-layered groups, the average age was 42.8 +/- 9.8 years. CONCLUSIONS: The intracoronary ultrasound image appearance of young, morphologically normal coronary artery walls is homogeneous without layering. A three-layered appearance suggests the presence of at least 178 microns of intimal thickening and is seen more frequently with advancing age.
Authors: Nico Bruining; Ronald Hamers; Tat-Jin Teo; Pim J de Feijter; Patrick W Serruys; Jos R T C Roelandt Journal: Int J Cardiovasc Imaging Date: 2004-04 Impact factor: 2.357
Authors: F Cademartiri; L La Grutta; A Palumbo; E Maffei; A Aldrovandi; R Malagò; F Alberghina; F Pugliese; G Runza; M Belgrano; M Midiri; M A Cova; G P Krestin Journal: Radiol Med Date: 2007-07-24 Impact factor: 3.469
Authors: T Voigtländer; H J Rupprecht; M Britten; P Stähr; B Nowak; M Otto; C J Kirkpatrick; R Brennecke; J Meyer Journal: Int J Card Imaging Date: 1998-02
Authors: M E Brezinski; G J Tearney; N J Weissman; S A Boppart; B E Bouma; M R Hee; A E Weyman; E A Swanson; J F Southern; J G Fujimoto Journal: Heart Date: 1997-05 Impact factor: 5.994