Application of contrast-enhanced ultrasound to evaluate skeletal muscle perfusion in lower extremity arteriosclerotic obliterans of type 2 diabetes mellitus

Abstract

To evaluate the value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound in evaluating skeletal muscle perfusion in Type 2 diabetic patients with lower extremity arteriosclerosis occlusion. 80 patients with type 2 diabetes were prospectively studied and divided into two groups: 40 patients with lower extremity arteriosclerosis obliterans(observation group)and 40 diabetic volunteers with normal lower extremity arteries(control group).All subjects were subjected to the same contrast-enhanced ultrasound(CEUS) technique before and after exercise to observe the changes of skeletal muscle blood perfusion in the calf, and the time to peak(TTP)of skeletal muscle blood perfusion parameters in the two groups were compared. The time-intensity curve established by mathematical model showed that TTP in the observation group was significantly longer than TTP in the control group in the resting state and after exercise, with statistical significance(P<0.05). TTP had no significant correlation with age, hypertension and other factors(P>0.05). TTP was correlated with ankle-brachial index (ABI)(P<0.05). In conclusion, CEUS can objectively reflect the changes of skeletal muscle perfusion in patients with lower extremity arteriosclerosis obliteration before and after exercise, and it is a new diagnostic method and evaluation index to observe the changes of skeletal muscle perfusion in patients with type 2 diabetes.