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The error in general reproducibility in determination of the subject's mean intima-media thickness was 5.9%.This parameter was also evaluated in a paired manner after dividing the whole artery into sectors;with this protocol,the percent error in general reproducibility was 15%.The main source of variability in the evaluation of common carotid intima-media thickness was found to lie in the operator's subjectivity in the choice of the carotid sector to be processed(percent error,10.27%).A method was therefore designed that used external reference points,resulting in reduction of this error by 38.2%.While the mean intima-media thickness might be considered a reproducible parameter to evaluate differences between populations exposed to diverse risk factors,evolutional or therapy-induced changes in the individual may be better monitored on defined carotid sectors.This may be achieved with a high reproducibility by use of the proposed method based on external reference points. |
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