In this study we analyzed the degree of correlation between in vivo IMT, in vitro IMT,

and the average wall thickness examined in human common carotid arteries. We found significant concordance between in vivo and in vitro US determined IMT. Both corresponded well with the calculated average wall thickness. Following the in vitro tissue processing tissue preservation, shrinkage and overall suitability for microscopic analysis was assessed on stained histological sections from snap-frozen arterial segments. The applicability of in vitro US on autopsied vascular specimens has been demonstrated; and confirmed that postmortem IMT measured by in vitro US can be used as reliably as in vivo IMT. It is well known the fact that through freezing water expands and forms ice crystals. This process can result in freezing artifacts and tissue damage, which, however, can be prevented by reduced freezing time [27]. Formalin fixation, dehydration in ethanol or other http://www.selleckchem.com/products/epacadostat-incb024360.html agents and paraffin embedding during processing MK0683 could result in up to a 30–40% tissue shrinkage, changing vascular dimensions and causing discrepancy between US and

histological IMT measurements [28], [29], [30] and [31]. CCA IMT values obtained with in vitro US and follow-up histological determination showed good agreement (data not shown). However, due to the low number of available specimens for histological processing statistical analysis between in vitro and microscopic IMT was not performed. In this study we presented that in vitro tissue processing by snap freezing results in low extent of tissue shrinkage and minimal change in vascular wall properties. Therefore frozen postmortem artery sections are comparable with data derived from US methods both in vivo and in vitro and frozen sections are suitable for histological–US comparative analytical studies. Despite the fact that carotid IMT is a well established surrogate marker for clinical events, in vivo US measured wall thickness has a variability

caused by anatomy, ultrasound equipment, eltoprazine angle of insonation, attenuation of US by neck muscles, motion artifacts (swallowing, arterial pulsation and breathing) and examiner skills [20], [21], [22] and [23]. Furthermore, in vivo US investigates mainly the IMT of the far vessel wall, however, atherosclerotical processes and IMT changes are also present in other parts of vascular wall, therefore, a circumferential wall thickness determination is more reliable. In addition, there is a need for new in vivo imaging methods providing a detailed view of the arterial tree and vessel wall [17]. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) providing detailed cross-sectional images of all sides of carotid artery wall and three-dimensional motion sensitized segmented steady-state black-blood gradient echo technique (3D MSDS) with rapid artifact-free overview imaging of the carotid wall are very promising techniques [21] and [24].