Noninvasive techniques for assessment of atherosclerosis. Summary of a workshop sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, January 1980.
Year: 1981
Type: article
Abstract: A therosclerosis of the arteries in the human is a pathological process with serious consequences.It results in loss of elasticity of vessel walls, in focal development of plaques, and in irregular narrowing of the arterial lumen.The resultant impairment of blood flow may lead to heart attack, stroke, or gangrene of the limbs.The currently acceptable clinical method for providing the best quantitative measures of the extent of atherosclerotic lesions is angiography, which is time-consuming and expensive and which also carries a small but significant risk to the patient.Subjective interpretations of the angiogram and projection errors result in variability in sensitivity and specificity.Image-processing techniques may overcome some of the problems, but inconsistencies remain.Furthermore, the invasiveness of the procedure generally precludes repeat angiograms at frequent intervals.In a number of research laboratories, noninvasive methods are currently being explored as alternatives to angiography, and ultrasonic methods are being used in a few clinical centers for peripheral artery studies.The potential benefits of noninvasive quantitative assessments include determination of the need for therapy and evaluation of the progression or regression of lesions by serial examinations, with virtually no risk to the patient.Furthermore, if noninvasive quantitative measures prove to be at least as reliable and sensitive as those obtained by angiographic techniques, clinical trials to assess the efficacy of measures for the prevention or treatment of atherosclerotic lesions could be conducted with many fewer patients than are now needed for meaningful results.
Authors: R S Ross, R W Barnes, T F Budinger, J F Toole, J T Watson, M B Mock, I Ringqvist, R S Powell, A S Berson
Language: English
Subfield: Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W2325835818