Abstract
A critical key in detection of vulnerable plaques (VPs) is the quantification of its mechanical properties. From the intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) echogram and strain images, Céspedes et al. (2000) proposed an elasticity-palpography technique (E-PT) to estimate the apparent stress-strain modulus (S-SM) palpogram of the thick endoluminal layer of the arterial wall. However, this approach suffers from major limitations because it was developed for homogeneous, circular and concentric VPs. The present study was therefore designed to improve the E-PT by considering the anatomical shape of the VP. This improved E-PT (IE-PT) was successfully applied to six coronary lesions of patients imaged in vivo with IVUS. Our results demonstrated that the mean relative error of the S-SM decreased from 61.02 ± 9.01% to 15.12 ± 12.57% when considering the IE-PT instead of the E-PT. The accuracy of the S-SM palpograms computed by using the improved theoretical framework was also investigated with regard to noise which may affect prediction of plaque vulnerability.