Objective: To explore the application value of the shear wave elastography（SWE） in evaluating of different echogenicity carotid plaque．Methods：One hundred and forty five patients with 270 carotid atherosclerotic plaques were detected by carotid artery ultrasound, all the carotid plaques underwent SWE, and the plaques were classified by two kinds of plaque echogenicity classification methods. Comparison of Young's modulus values of carotid plaque among hyperechoic，hypoechoic, isoechoic and heterogeneous plaques and among type I ~ IV plaques. Results: Among 270 plaques, 113 plaques in heterogeneous echo, 74 plaques in hypoecho, 43 plaques in isoecho, 40 plaques in hyperecho and 75 plaques in type I, 28 plaques in type II, 36 plaques in type III and 131 plaques in type IV. The sequence of Young's modulus values from high to low were: hyperechoic plaques, heterogeneous plaques, isoechoic plaques, hypoechoic plaque. The maximum，minimum and mean Young's modulus values all had statistical differences among hyperechoic，hypoechoic, isoechoic and heterogeneous plaques (P < 0.05). And the Young's modulus values of carotid plaque from type I to type IV were from low to high. The maximum, minimum and mean Young's modulus all had statistical differences among type I ~ IV plaques (P < 0.05). Conclusion: SWE can quantitatively evaluate the elastic characteristics of carotid plaque, and can reflect the elastic variances among different echo plaques.