Acuson sc2000

The images were acquired using Philips Epiq 7 (the S9-2 probe for newborns, toddlers, and older children X5-1 probe) and Siemens Acuson SC2000 (the 4V1C probe for older children and the 8V3 probe for newborns and toddlers) ultrasound systems. All patients were in sinus rhythm during image acquisition within a normal heart rate range. The images were transferred in DICOM format to the Ligence Heart server via a secure local area network. Each study contained multiple DICOM instances. All patient’s data were anonymized before transfer to the Ligence Heart software. Further analysis was performed using the Ligence Heart software.
2D TTE studies were acquired manually by the senior and the junior cardiologists using manual functionalities of the post-processing software (Ligence Heart version 3.5.0, Ligence, UAB, Vilnius, Lithuania).
Before each acquisition, image settings were optimized by modifying the gain, compress, and time gain compensation controls to achieve the highest possible frame rate.
We performed a complete examination and assessed the following parameters: in the parasternal long axis (PLAX), in apical 4 chambers (A4CH), and in apical 2 chambers (A2CH) according to international guidelines. The assessed parameters are presented in Table 1.

Comprehensive transthoracic echocardiography was performed using commercially available equipment (Vivid E9 from GE Healthcare, Milwaukee, WI, USA or Acuson SC2000 from Siemens Medical Solutions, Mountain View, CA, USA). Standard M-mode, 2-dimensional, and color Doppler imaging were performed in parasternal, suprasternal, substernal, and apical views with positional adjustment of the patient. The first and last echocardiograms collected during the study period were used to evaluate echocardiographic changes. Anatomic measurements were performed according to the American Society of Echocardiography and the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (9 (link)).

In this study, a total of 1463 US images of carotid plaques were acquired from 925 patients in Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University by expert sonographers who have decades of experience in vascular imaging. An Acuson SC2000 (Siemens, Erlangen, Germany) US system equipped with a 5-12 MHz linear array probe (9L4) was used to acquire carotid US images. This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of the Medical School, Wuhan University, and written informed consent was obtained from all patients. During the acquisition process, the subjects were supine, and their heads were tilted back. The probe was positioned perpendicular to each patient's neck, moving slowly along the carotid arteries. After a carotid plaque was identified, longitudinal images of the carotid plaque in the common and internal carotid arteries were acquired.