Inflammation and angiogenesis play major roles in carotid plaque vulnerability. The purpose
of this study was to determine whether gray-scale features of carotid plaques are associated
with histologic markers for inflammation. Thirty-eight individuals completed a dedicated
research carotid ultrasound exam before carotid endarterectomy. Gray-scale analysis was
performed on plaque images to measure plaque echogenicity (gray-scale median [GSM]
pixel brightness), plaque area, presence of discrete white areas (DWAs) and the percent of …