Biotech Values

[DewDiligence]

>The fact that the change in plaque volume was larger than the change in percent atheroma volume (the percentage of total vessel volume occupied by plaque) could suggest that a decrease in atheroma volume was offset by an overall shrinkage of the vessel<

I’m confused about the phrase could suggest in this passage. If the hypothesis in question were not true, how could the observed results have occurred. T.i.a.