First and second order statistical texture features in carotid plaque image analysis: preliminary results from ongoing research.

Carotid plaques have been associated with ipsilateral neurological symptoms. High-resolution ultrasound can provide information not only on the degree of carotid artery stenosis but also on the characteristics of the arterial wall including the size and consistency of atherosclerotic plaques. The aim of this study was to determine cerebrovascular risk stratification based on ultrasonic plaque texture features and clinical features in patients with asymptomatic internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis. It is shown that cerebrovascular risk stratification is possible using a combination of clinical and ultrasonic plaque features with very satisfactory results. However, these findings need to be validated in additional prospective studies in patients having current medical intervention.