[Semi-quantitative evaluation of atherosclerotic lesions of the thoracic aorta with high resolution transesophageal ultrasound].

This study was designed to assess semi-quantitative ultrasonic evaluation of atherosclerotic lesions with high resolution transesophageal ultrasound. Various types of atherosclerotic lesions were differentiated using transesophageal ultrasound in 51 samples from 20 specimens of fresh descending aorta of humans or other animals in vitro, and in 62 patients in vivo. Microscopic examination of normal, fatty plaque, fibro-fatty plaque, fibrous plaque, calcified lesion and ulcerative lesion apparently coincided with transesophageal ultrasound images of normal (0), intimal irregular thickening (degree of I), intimal protuberance with low and high echo density in the plaque (II), high echo density in the plaque having an additional echo layer in the medial layer (III), irregular intimal thickening with calcification and ulcerative lesion with low and high mixed echo (IV). The quality of ultrasound image obtained from the patients in vivo proved similar to that obtained during the in vitro studies, and in addition six ulcerative lesions including two with torn intima were detected with transesophageal echocardiography. These results demonstrate that high resolution transesophageal ultrasound is an excellent approach to detect semiquantitatively atherosclerotic lesions of the aorta in vitro and in vivo.