Three-dimensional labeling of vulnerable regions in carotid plaques using Graph-Cuts

Carotid plaque morphology assessed through high resolution ultrasound is nowadays an important diagnostic approach in the evaluation of stroke risk. The literature describes several methods for the characterization of plaque echogenicity and texture by using overall statistics across the carotid plaques. However, this averaged indicators may not be enough for a correct diagnosis of plaque instability. Therefore, it has been suggested that a local characterization of plaque morphology, where the extension and location of vulnerable regions inside the plaques is taken into account, could lead to significant improvements in the assessment of stroke risk.