- ARTERY 18 Poster Session
- Poster session I - Models, methodologies and imaging technology I
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P54 A Machine Learning System for Carotid Plaque Vulnerability Assessment Based on Ultrasound Images
Artery Research volume 24, page 94 (2018)
Abstract
Purpose/Background/Objectives
Carotid plaque vulnerability assessment is essential for the identification of high-risk patients. A specific mouse model for the study of carotid atherosclerosis has been recently developed. Aim of this study was to develop a predictive mathematical model for carotid plaque vulnerability assessment based on the post processing of micro-Ultrasound (mUS) images only.
Methods
17 ApoE-/- male mice (16 weeks) were employed. After three weeks of high-fat diet, a tapered cast, designed to induce the formation of an unstable plaque upstream from the cast and a stable one downstream from it, was surgically placed around the right common carotid. mUS examination was repeated before the surgical procedure and after three months from it. Color-Doppler, B-mode and Pulsed-wave Doppler images were acquired to assess morphological, functional and hemodynamic parameters. In particular, texture analysis was applied on both the atherosclerotic lesions post-processing B-mode images. Peak velocity (Vp), Relative Turbolence Intensity (rTI) and velocity range (rangevel) were assessed from PW-Doppler images. Relative Distension (relD) and Pulse Wave Velocity (PWV) were evaluated for both the regions. All the mUS indexes underwent a feature reduction process and were used to train different machine learning approaches.
Results
The downstream region presented higher PWV values than the upstream one; furthermore, it was characterized by higher values of rTI and rangevel. The weighted kNN classifier supplied the best providing 92.6% accuracy, 91% sensitivity and 94% specificity.
Conclusions
The mathematical predictive model could represent a valid approach to be translated in the clinical field and easily employed in clinical practice.
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This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/).
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Di Lascio, N., Kusmic, C., Solini, A. et al. P54 A Machine Learning System for Carotid Plaque Vulnerability Assessment Based on Ultrasound Images. Artery Res 24, 94 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.artres.2018.10.107
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.artres.2018.10.107