Sonographic assessment of acute changes in plaque size and echogenicity and in intima‐media thickness of carotid arteries after neck radiation therapy

• DOI: 10.1002/jcu.21971
• Publication Date: 2012-07-19T12:12:26Z
• Authors: Ugur Toprak; İLknur Aytaş; Evren Ustuner; Rahşan Habiboğlu; Nalan Aslan; Eşref Paşaoğlu; Alp Karademir
• Keywords: Echogenicity; Intima-media thickness

Ultrasonic assessment of acute changes in carotid artery walls before and after neck radiation therapy (RT).Fifty cancer patients scheduled for curative irradiation were included underwent sonographic examination arteries, with intima-media thickness (IMT) plaque size echogenicity immediately completion RT.IMT was linearly correlated age RT (r = 0.267, p 0.007) increased (0.68 ± 0.11 versus 0.87 0.16, < 0.001), without correlation total dose protocol. New plaques (six hypoechoic, one hyperechoic, calcified) found eight RT, while 17 the 44 that present size, 8 soft 1 dense nine became calcified.Radiation phase not only increases IMT but also causes new formation echogenicity.