Modern ultrasound assessment of elastic properties of the thoracic aorta in patients with coronary atherosclerosis

Abstract

The main goal of echocardiography is not to diagnose CAD or changes associated with CAD, but to reveal non-coronary heart disease. Currently, the development of ultrasound technologies makes it possible to expand the standard echocardiography by evaluating the elastic properties of the thoracic aorta. Due to the fact that studies show correlation between the presence and severity of coronary atherosclerosis with changes in the elastic properties of the thoracic aorta, this solution improves the usefulness of echocardiography in patients with CAD. The most promising in assessing the elastic properties of the thoracic aorta during the traditional transthoracic echocardiography are tissue doppler imaging (TDI) and color M-mode. Color M-mode is a technology that is mainly used in echocardiography to assess the compliance of the left ventricle by examining the mitral inflow propagation velocity. This technology may be used in the descending part of the thoracic aorta, where it will similarly display the elastic properties.