Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39729884›Full record

ArticleEBioMedicine2025

Assessment of microvascular flow in human atherosclerotic carotid plaques using ultrasound localization microscopy.

Henri Leroy, Louise Z Wang, Anatole Jimenez, Nassim Mohamedi, Clément Papadacci, Pierre Julia, Salma El Batti, Jean-Marc Alsac, Jonas Sitruk, Armelle Arnoux and 5 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in EBioMedicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors.

Henri LeroyPhysics for Medicine Paris, INSERM U1273, ESPCI Paris, CNRS UMR 8063, PSL Research University, Paris, France. Electronic address: henri.leroy@espci.psl.eu.
Louise Z WangUniversité Paris Cité, INSERM U970, Vascular Medicine Department, Hôpital Européen Georges-Pompidou, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), F-75006, Paris, France.
Anatole JimenezPhysics for Medicine Paris, INSERM U1273, ESPCI Paris, CNRS UMR 8063, PSL Research University, Paris, France.
Nassim MohamediUniversité Paris Cité, INSERM U970, Vascular Medicine Department, Hôpital Européen Georges-Pompidou, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), F-75006, Paris, France.
Clément PapadacciPhysics for Medicine Paris, INSERM U1273, ESPCI Paris, CNRS UMR 8063, PSL Research University, Paris, France.
Pierre JuliaUniversité Paris Cité, INSERM U970, Vascular Surgery Department, Hôpital Européen Georges-Pompidou, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), F-75006, Paris, France.
Salma El BattiUniversité Paris Cité, INSERM U970, Vascular Surgery Department, Hôpital Européen Georges-Pompidou, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), F-75006, Paris, France.
Jean-Marc AlsacUniversité Paris Cité, INSERM U970, Vascular Surgery Department, Hôpital Européen Georges-Pompidou, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), F-75006, Paris, France.
Jonas SitrukUniversité Paris Cité, INSERM U970, Vascular Medicine Department, Hôpital Européen Georges-Pompidou, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), F-75006, Paris, France.
Armelle ArnouxUniversité Paris Cité, AP-HP, Hôpital Européen Georges-Pompidou, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Clinical Research Unit, Clinical Investigation Centre 1418 Clinical Epidemiology, INSERM, INRIA, HeKA, Paris, France.
Patrick BrunevalUniversité Paris Cité, INSERM U970, Cardiology Department, Hôpital Européen Georges-Pompidou, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), F-75006, Paris, France.
Emmanuel MessasUniversité Paris Cité, INSERM U970, Vascular Medicine Department, Hôpital Européen Georges-Pompidou, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), F-75006, Paris, France.
Tristan MiraultUniversité Paris Cité, INSERM U970, Vascular Medicine Department, Hôpital Européen Georges-Pompidou, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), F-75006, Paris, France.
Guillaume GoudotUniversité Paris Cité, INSERM U970, Vascular Medicine Department, Hôpital Européen Georges-Pompidou, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), F-75006, Paris, France.
Mathieu PernotPhysics for Medicine Paris, INSERM U1273, ESPCI Paris, CNRS UMR 8063, PSL Research University, Paris, France.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundNeovascularisation of carotid plaques contributes to their vulnerability. Current imaging methods such as contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) usually lack the required spatial resolution and quantification capability for precise neovessels identification. We aimed at quantifying plaque vascularisation with ultrasound localization microscopy (ULM) and compared the results to histological analysis.

methodsWe conducted a prospective, monocentric, study involving patients who were undergoing carotid endarterectomy (CEA) for carotid artery stenosis. The day before CEA ultrasound examination coupled with the injection of microbubbles (MB) as a contrast agent (CEUS) to image the MB circulating within and around the carotid plaque was performed. CEUS images analysis classified patients into 2 groups: absence of neovascularisation (group A) or presence of neovascularisation (group B). ULM was performed by localising and tracking individual MB centres to reconstruct the neovessels structure with a resolution of around 60 μm. Plaques were manually segmented on the images to quantify the number of neovessels and various haemodynamic metrics inside the plaques. Histological analysis of the excised carotid plaque specimens classified patients into 2 groups: absence of neovascularisation (group I) or presence of neovascularisation (group II).

findingsAmong the 26 patients included, classification was as follows: group I: n = 8 and group II: n = 18, 18 patients had analysable CEUS images and were classified as follows: group A: n = 10, group B: n = 8. The median (Q1-Q3) number of MB tracked per second inside the plaque was 0.03 (0-0.37) for patients in group I and 0.51 (0-3) for patients in group A versus (vs.) 3.55 (1.26-17.68) for patients in group II and 9.69 (5.83-34.68) for patients in group B (p = 0.00049; p = 0.010 respectively). The length of the MB tracks was 0.02 mm (0-0.16) in group I vs. 0.29 mm (0.22-0.45) in group II (p = 0.0069). The study also showed that flow in the neovessels was greater during systole than during diastole period: 9.38 (1.67-19.17) MB tracked per second vs. 1.35 (0.28-6.56) (p = 0.021).

interpretationULM allows the detection of neovessels within the carotid atherosclerotic plaque. Thus, ULM provides a precise picture of plaque neovascularisation in patients and could be used as a non-invasive imaging technique to assess carotid plaque vulnerability.

fundingThe study was sponsored and funded by Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (CRC 1806 APHP INNOVATION 2018). Co-funding by ART (Technological Research Accelerator) biomedical ultrasound program of INSERM, France.

Indexed as

Carotid StenosisMicrovesselsPlaque, AtheroscleroticAgedAged, 80 and overCarotid ArteriesContrast MediaEndarterectomy, CarotidFemaleHumansMaleMicrobubblesMiddle AgedNeovascularization, PathologicProspective StudiesUltrasonographyContrast MediaAtherosclerosisCarotid plaqueContrast-enhanced ultrasoundNeovascularisationSuper-resolution imagingUltrasound imaging

Identifiers

PMID39729884
PMCPMC11733184

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.