Comparison of an automated versus semi-automated edge-tracking software

What is it about?

Carotid artery intima media thickness (cIMT) is a marker of vascular health. cIMT is assessed by acquiring ultrasound images of the carotid artery and subsequently analyzing those images using commercially available edge-tracking software. Edge-tracking software can vary in the degree of operator influence; for instance, edge-tracking software can be fully automated with no operator input, or it can be a semi-automated enabling the operator to redirect the algorithm in cases of improper boundary detection. In recent years, many ultrasound systems have begun offering automated edge-tracking packages for cIMT analysis, but details regarding their algorithms and methodology are not published. In this paper, we compared an automated ultrasound software to an established commercially available semi-automated software for measurements of cIMT taken from healthy preschool children and older adults with coronary artery disease, populations representing young healthy and older diseased arteries, respectively.

Featured Image

Why is it important?

While the semi-automated reference software used in this study is capable of many valuable analyses not offered on the automated ultrasound software, it requires transferring and editing of images prior to analysis, a time-consuming process that may reduce the image quality. Conversely, with the automated ultrasound software, images retain their quality, the analysis is rapid, and both data and images can be stored under the participant’s file in a single secure location. Since the automated ultrasound software can offer a convenient and time-efficient alternative to commercially available software for cIMT analysis, it was important to compare its measurements to previously established software. Our findings suggest that the GE ultrasound software assessed in this study yielded comparable cIMT measurements as the reference software and may be useful for ensuring consistency among multi-site research initiatives, or large cohort studies involving repeated cIMT measures, particularly in adults with documented coronary artery disease.