Tsushima M
Nihon Rinsho. 1993 Aug;51(8):2023-30.
Most of cerebrovascular diseases or ischemic heart diseases, the major causes of death in Japan, occur as terminal symptoms of atherosclerosis. Much effort has been made to prevent these diseases and also to assess premature atherosclerosis. Recently, new models of tools for diagnosis has been developed. There are several ways to determine the existence of atherosclerosis, namely (1) to find the major risk factors of atherosclerosis such as hyperlipoproteinemia, hypertension, diabetes mellitus and/or smoking, and also (2) for apparent cardiovascular patients, to examine the pathogenesis of the disease by using invasive methods such as selective arteriography, intravasculoscopy, and intravascular ultrasonic examination, if necessary, and (3) for asymptomatic people, to apply hypoinvasive examinations such as the ultrasonic examination, the computed tomography and magnetic resonance angiography. As a non-invasive diagnostic method, we have been trying to assess the progression of atherosclerosis clinically by computed tomography (CT) of the abdominal aorta. Recently we developed a new computer program to define the wall thickening and calcification of aorta on personal computer. In the near future, progression and regression collaboration studies in Japan may be achieved.
在日本，大多数脑血管疾病或缺血性心脏病作为动脉粥样硬化的终末症状，是主要的死亡原因。人们为预防这些疾病以及评估早期动脉粥样硬化付出了巨大努力。最近，开发了新的诊断工具模型。确定动脉粥样硬化存在的方法有几种，即（1）找出动脉粥样硬化的主要危险因素，如高脂蛋白血症、高血压、糖尿病和/或吸烟，以及（2）对于明显的心血管疾病患者，如有必要，通过使用选择性动脉造影、血管内视镜检查和血管内超声检查等侵入性方法来检查疾病的发病机制，和（3）对于无症状人群，应用超声检查、计算机断层扫描和磁共振血管造影等低侵入性检查。作为一种非侵入性诊断方法，我们一直在尝试通过腹主动脉计算机断层扫描（CT）在临床上评估动脉粥样硬化的进展。最近我们开发了一个新的计算机程序，用于在个人电脑上定义主动脉壁增厚和钙化情况。在不久的将来，日本可能会开展进展和逆转协作研究。
