Non-linear Analysis of Carotid Plaque Using Fractal Dimension and Lacunarity

Abstract

The chance of stroke rises with the severity of carotid stenosis and the thickening of the carotid artery due to the deposition of plaque, known as atherosclerosis. In asymptomatic type, slowly plaque formation reaches a life-threatening condition. In the symptomatic case plaque is acute in nature. Hence treatment protocol is to be decided based on the type of plaque. This paper describes the segmentation of the plaque and analyses the non-linear parameters of the plaque in carotid B-mode ultrasound images. The aim of the study is to differentiate textural features of the symptomatic and asymptomatic plaque by fractal methods. The fractal dimension and lacunarity are computed and differ significantly for two types of plaques. This analysis could classify the symptomatic and asymptomatic plaque using the fractal characteristics of plaque and help in the diagnostic process.