Carotid and Femoral Artery Intima-Media Thickness During 6 Months of Spaceflight

Abstract

The experiment demonstrated that, using the volume capture method of echography, untrained astronauts were able to capture enough echographic data to display vessel images of good quality for analysis. The increase in both CC and FA IMT during the flight suggest an adaptation to microgravity and to the confined environment of spaceflight which deserves further investigation.