12.07: Comparison of Two Radiofraquency-Based Systems for Assessment of Local Carotid Stiffness

Objective two ultrasound systems (QAS, Esaote; and E-Track, Aloka) provide radio-frequency (RF)-based tracking of carotid wall, allowing realtime determination of vessel diameter, distension, and stiffness (CS). Measurement is performed in a single line by E-Track and in 16 equidistant lines by QAS. Aim to evaluate whether measures of CS with the two systems are comparable and to assess intra- and interoperator variability. Methods MyLab 70 (Esaote) and Alpha 7 (Aloka) were used in random order to measure right CCA diameter and distension, and to calculate distensibility coefficient (DC) in 173 subjects (5 groups: 21 controls (NL), 35 prehypertensives (PHBP), 23 hypertensives (HBP), 27 type 2 diabetics (DM) and 67 HIV-positive patients. In 30 subjects, the study was repeated after 60-min, both by the same and by another operator. Results correlation coefficients between the two systems for CCA diameter, distension and DC were high (r=0.84, 0.90 and 0.87, p