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Gietzen C, Kaya K, Janssen JP, Gertz RJ, Terzis R, Huflage H, Grunz JP, Gietzen T, Pennig H, Celik E, Borggrefe J, Persigehl T, Kabbasch C, Weiss K, Goertz L, Pennig L. Highly compressed SENSE accelerated relaxation-enhanced angiography without contrast and triggering (REACT) for fast non-contrast enhanced magnetic resonance angiography of the neck: Clinical evaluation in patients with acute ischemic stroke at 3 tesla. Magn Reson Imaging 2024; 112:27-37. [PMID: 38599503 DOI: 10.1016/j.mri.2024.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Revised: 04/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Long acquisition times limit the feasibility of established non-contrast-enhanced MRA (non-CE-MRA) techniques. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a highly accelerated flow-independent sequence (Relaxation-Enhanced Angiography without Contrast and Triggering [REACT]) for imaging of the extracranial arteries in acute ischemic stroke (AIS). MATERIALS AND METHODS Compressed SENSE (CS) accelerated (factor 7) 3D isotropic REACT (fixed scan time: 01:22 min, reconstructed voxel size 0.625 × 0.625 × 0.75 mm3) and CE-MRA (CS factor 6, scan time: 1:08 min, reconstructed voxel size 0.5 mm3) were acquired in 76 AIS patients (69.4 ± 14.3 years, 33 females) at 3 Tesla. Two radiologists assessed scans for the presence of internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis and stated their diagnostic confidence using a 5-point scale (5 = excellent). Vessel quality of cervical arteries as well as the impact of artifacts and image noise were scored on 5-point scales (5 = excellent/none). Apparent signal- and contrast-to-noise ratios (aSNR/aCNR) were measured for the common carotid artery (CCA) and ICA (C1-segment). RESULTS REACT provided a sensitivity of 88.5% and specificity of 100% for clinically relevant (≥50%) ICA stenosis with substantial concordance to CE-MRA regarding stenosis grading (Cohen's kappa 0.778) and similar diagnostic confidence (REACT: mean 4.5 ± 0.4 vs. CE-MRA: 4.5 ± 0.6; P = 0.674). Presence of artifacts (3.6 ± 0.5 vs. 3.5 ± 0.7; P = 0.985) and vessel quality (all segments: 3.6 ± 0.7 vs. 3.8 ± 0.7; P = 0.004) were comparable between both techniques with REACT showing higher scores at the CCA (4.3 ± 0.6 vs. 3.8 ± 0.9; P < 0.001) and CE-MRA at V2- (3.3 ± 0.5 vs. 3.9 ± 0.8; P < 0.001) and V3-segments (3.3 ± 0.5 vs. 4.0 ± 0.8; P < 0.001). For all vessels, REACT showed a lower impact of image noise (3.8 ± 0.6 vs. 3.6 ± 0.7; P = 0.024) while yielding higher aSNR (52.5 ± 15.1 vs. 37.9 ± 12.5; P < 0.001) and aCNR (49.4 ± 15.0 vs. 34.7 ± 12.3; P < 0.001) for all vessels combined. CONCLUSIONS In patients with acute ischemic stroke, highly accelerated REACT provides an accurate detection of ICA stenosis with vessel quality and scan time comparable to CE-MRA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carsten Gietzen
- Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
| | - Kenan Kaya
- Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Jan Paul Janssen
- Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Roman Johannes Gertz
- Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Robert Terzis
- Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Henner Huflage
- Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Jan-Peter Grunz
- Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Thorsten Gietzen
- Department III of Internal Medicine, Heart Center, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Henry Pennig
- Department for Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne
| | - Erkan Celik
- Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Jan Borggrefe
- Department of Radiology, Neuroradiology and Nuclear Medicine, Johannes Wesling University Hospital, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Thorsten Persigehl
- Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Christoph Kabbasch
- Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | | | - Lukas Goertz
- Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Lenhard Pennig
- Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
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Amin HP, Madsen TE, Bravata DM, Wira CR, Johnston SC, Ashcraft S, Burrus TM, Panagos PD, Wintermark M, Esenwa C. Diagnosis, Workup, Risk Reduction of Transient Ischemic Attack in the Emergency Department Setting: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association. Stroke 2023; 54:e109-e121. [PMID: 36655570 DOI: 10.1161/str.0000000000000418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
At least 240 000 individuals experience a transient ischemic attack each year in the United States. Transient ischemic attack is a strong predictor of subsequent stroke. The 90-day stroke risk after transient ischemic attack can be as high as 17.8%, with almost half occurring within 2 days of the index event. Diagnosing transient ischemic attack can also be challenging given the transitory nature of symptoms, often reassuring neurological examination at the time of evaluation, and lack of confirmatory testing. Limited resources, such as imaging availability and access to specialists, can further exacerbate this challenge. This scientific statement focuses on the correct clinical diagnosis, risk assessment, and management decisions of patients with suspected transient ischemic attack. Identification of high-risk patients can be achieved through use of comprehensive protocols incorporating acute phase imaging of both the brain and cerebral vasculature, thoughtful use of risk stratification scales, and ancillary testing with the ultimate goal of determining who can be safely discharged home from the emergency department versus admitted to the hospital. We discuss various methods for rapid yet comprehensive evaluations, keeping resource-limited sites in mind. In addition, we discuss strategies for secondary prevention of future cerebrovascular events using maximal medical therapy and patient education.
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Hoyer UCI, Lennartz S, Abdullayev N, Fichter F, Jünger ST, Goertz L, Laukamp KR, Gertz RJ, Grunz JP, Hohmann C, Maintz D, Persigehl T, Kabbasch C, Borggrefe J, Weiss K, Pennig L. Imaging of the extracranial internal carotid artery in acute ischemic stroke: assessment of stenosis, plaques, and image quality using relaxation-enhanced angiography without contrast and triggering (REACT). Quant Imaging Med Surg 2022; 12:3640-3654. [PMID: 35782261 PMCID: PMC9246733 DOI: 10.21037/qims-21-1122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 07/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In stroke magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (CE-MRA) is the clinical standard to depict extracranial arteries but native MRA techniques are of increased interest to facilitate clinical practice. The purpose of this study was to assess the detection of extracranial internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis and plaques as well as the image quality of cervical carotid arteries between a novel flow-independent relaxation-enhanced angiography without contrast and triggering (REACT) sequence and CE-MRA in acute ischemic stroke (AIS). METHODS In this retrospective, single-center study, 105 consecutive patients (65.27±18.74 years, 63 males) were included, who received a standard stroke protocol at 3T in clinical routine including Compressed SENSE (CS) accelerated (factor 4) 3D isotropic REACT (fixed scan time: 02:46 min) and CS accelerated (factor 6) 3D isotropic CE-MRA. Three radiologists independently assessed scans for the presence of extracranial ICA stenosis and plaques (including hyper-/hypointense signal) with concomitant diagnostic confidence using 3-point scales (3= excellent). Vessel quality, artifacts, and image noise of extracranial carotid arteries were subjectively scored on 5-point scales (5= excellent/none). Wilcoxon tests were used for statistical comparison. RESULTS Considering CE-MRA as the standard of reference, REACT provided a sensitivity of 89.8% and specificity of 95.2% for any and of 93.5% and 95.8% for clinically relevant (≥50%) extracranial ICA stenosis and yielded a to CE-MRA comparable diagnostic confidence [mean ± standard deviation (SD), median (interquartile range): 2.8±0.5, 3 (3-3) vs. 2.7±0.5, 3 (2-3), P=0.03]. Using REACT, readers detected more plaques overall (n=57.3 vs. 47.7, P<0.001) and plaques of hyperintense signal (n=12.3 vs. 5.7, P=0.02) with higher diagnostic confidence [2.8±0.5, 3 (3-3) vs. 2.6±0.7, 3 (2-3), P<0.001] than CE-MRA. After analyzing a total of 1,260 segments, the vessel quality of all segments combined [4.61±0.66 vs. 4.58±0.68, 5 (4-5) vs. 5 (4-5), P=0.0299] and artifacts [4.51±0.70 vs. 4.44±0.73, 5 (4-5) vs. 5 (4-5), P>0.05] were comparable between the sequences with REACT showing a lower image noise [4.43±0.67 vs. 4.25±0.71, 5 (4-5) vs. 4 (4-5), P<0.001]. CONCLUSIONS Without the use of gadolinium-based contrast agents or triggering, REACT provides a high sensitivity and specificity for extracranial ICA stenosis and a potential improved depiction of adjacent plaques while yielding to CE-MRA comparable vessel quality in a large patient cohort with AIS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrike Cornelia Isabel Hoyer
- Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Simon Lennartz
- Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Nuran Abdullayev
- Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Florian Fichter
- Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Stephanie T. Jünger
- Department of General Neurosurgery, Center for Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Lukas Goertz
- Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Department of General Neurosurgery, Center for Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Kai Roman Laukamp
- Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Roman Johannes Gertz
- Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Jan-Peter Grunz
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Christopher Hohmann
- Department III of Internal Medicine, Heart Center, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - David Maintz
- Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Thorsten Persigehl
- Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Christoph Kabbasch
- Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Jan Borggrefe
- Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Department of Radiology, Neuroradiology and Nuclear Medicine, Johannes Wesling University Hospital, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | | | - Lenhard Pennig
- Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
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Sun Z, Jiang D, Liu P, Muccio M, Li C, Cao Y, Wisniewski TM, Lu H, Ge Y. Age-Related Tortuosity of Carotid and Vertebral Arteries: Quantitative Evaluation With MR Angiography. Front Neurol 2022; 13:858805. [PMID: 35572919 PMCID: PMC9099009 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.858805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Background and Purpose The vascular tortuosity (VT) of the internal carotid artery (ICA), and vertebral artery (VA) can impact blood flow and neuronal function. However, few studies involved quantitative investigation of VT based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The main purpose of our study was to evaluate the age and gender effects on ICA and VA regarding the tortuosity and flow changes by applying automatic vessel segmentation, centerline tracking, and phase mapping on MR angiography. Methods A total of 247 subjects (86 males and 161 females) without neurological diseases participated in this study. All subjects obtained T1-weighted MRI, 3D time-of-flight MR angiography, and 2D phase-contrast (PC) MRI scans. To generate quantitative tortuosity metrics from TOF images, the vessel segmentation and centerline tracking were implemented based on Otsu thresholding and fast marching algorithms, respectively. Blood flow and velocity were measured using PC MRI. Among the 247 subjects, 144 subjects (≤ 60 years, 49 males/95 females) were categorized as the young group; 103 subjects (>60 years, 37 males/66 females) were categorized as the old group. Results Independent t-test showed that older subjects had higher tortuosity metrics, whereas lower blood flow and velocity than young subjects (p < 0.0025, Bonferroni-corrected). Cerebral blood flow calculated using the sum flux of four target arteries normalized by the brain mass also showed significantly lower values in older subjects (p < 0.001). The age was observed to be positively correlated with the VT metrics. Compared to the males, the females demonstrated higher geometric indices within VAs as well as faster age-related vascular profile changes. After adjusting age and gender as covariates, maximum blood velocity is negatively correlated with geometric measurements. No association was observed between blood flux and geometric measures. Conclusions Vascular auto-segmentation, centerline tracking, and phase mapping provide promising quantitative assessments of tortuosity and its effects on blood flow. The neck arteries demonstrate quantifiable and significant age-related morphological and hemodynamic alterations. Moreover, females showed more distinct vascular changes with age. Our work is built upon a comprehensive quantitative investigation of a large cohort of populations covering adult lifespan using MRI, the results can serve as reference ranges of each decade in the general population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhe Sun
- Department of Radiology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States,Vilcek Institute of Biomedical Science, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Dengrong Jiang
- Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Peiying Liu
- Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Marco Muccio
- Department of Radiology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Chenyang Li
- Department of Radiology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States,Vilcek Institute of Biomedical Science, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Yan Cao
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, United States
| | - Thomas M. Wisniewski
- Department of Neurology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States,Department of Pathology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States,Department of Psychiatry, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States,Center for Cognitive Neurology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Hanzhang Lu
- Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Yulin Ge
- Department of Radiology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States,*Correspondence: Yulin Ge
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Pennig L, Kabbasch C, Hoyer UCI, Lennartz S, Zopfs D, Goertz L, Laukamp KR, Wagner A, Grunz JP, Doerner J, Persigehl T, Weiss K, Borggrefe J. Relaxation-Enhanced Angiography Without Contrast and Triggering (REACT) for Fast Imaging of Extracranial Arteries in Acute Ischemic Stroke at 3 T. Clin Neuroradiol 2020; 31:815-826. [PMID: 33026511 PMCID: PMC8463375 DOI: 10.1007/s00062-020-00963-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Purpose To evaluate a novel flow-independent 3D isotropic REACT sequence compared with CE-MRA for the imaging of extracranial arteries in acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Methods This was a retrospective study of 35 patients who underwent a stroke protocol at 3 T including REACT (fixed scan time: 2:46 min) and CE-MRA of the extracranial arteries. Three radiologists evaluated scans regarding vessel delineation, signal, and contrast and assessed overall image noise and artifacts using 5-point scales (5: excellent delineation/no artifacts). Apparent signal- and contrast-to-noise ratios (aSNR/aCNR) were measured for the common carotid artery (CCA), internal carotid artery (ICA, C1 segment), and vertebral artery (V2 segment). Two radiologists graded the degree of proximal ICA stenosis. Results Compared to REACT, CE-MRA showed better delineation for the CCA and ICA (C1 and C2 segments) (median 5, range 2–5 vs. 4, range 3–5; P < 0.05). For the ICA (C1 and C2 segments), REACT provided a higher signal (5, range 3–5; P < 0.05/4.5, range 3–5; P > 0.05 vs. 4, range 2–5) and contrast (5, range 3–5 vs. 4, range 2–5; P > 0.05) than CE-MRA. The remaining segments of the blood-supplying vessels showed equal medians. There was no significant difference regarding artifacts, whereas REACT provided significantly lower image noise (4, range 3–5 vs. 4 range 2–5; P < 0.05) with a higher aSNR (P < 0.05) and aCNR (P < 0.05) for all vessels combined. For clinically relevant (≥50%) ICA stenosis, REACT achieved a detection sensitivity of 93.75% and a specificity of 100%. Conclusion Given its fast acquisition, comparable image quality to CE-MRA and high sensitivity and specificity for the detection of ICA stenosis, REACT was proven to be a clinically applicable method to assess extracranial arteries in AIS. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s00062-020-00963-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lenhard Pennig
- Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
| | - Christoph Kabbasch
- Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Ulrike Cornelia Isabel Hoyer
- Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Simon Lennartz
- Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Harvard Medical School, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Else Kröner Forschungskolleg Clonal Evolution in Cancer, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - David Zopfs
- Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Lukas Goertz
- Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Neurosurgery, Department of General Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Kai Roman Laukamp
- Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Anton Wagner
- Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Jan-Peter Grunz
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Jonas Doerner
- Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Thorsten Persigehl
- Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | | | - Jan Borggrefe
- Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Department of Radiology, Neuroradiology and Nuclear Medicine, Johannes Wesling University Hospital, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
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Singh N, Moody AR, Roifman I, Bluemke DA, Zavodni AEH. Advanced MRI for carotid plaque imaging. Int J Cardiovasc Imaging 2015; 32:83-9. [PMID: 26293362 PMCID: PMC4706840 DOI: 10.1007/s10554-015-0743-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2015] [Accepted: 08/13/2015] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Atherosclerosis is the ubiquitous underling pathological process that manifests in heart attack and stroke, cumulating in the death of one in three North American adults. High-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is able to delineate atherosclerotic plaque components and total plaque burden within the carotid arteries. Using dedicated hardware, high resolution images can be obtained. Combining pre- and post-contrast T1, T2, proton-density, and magnetization-prepared rapid acquisition gradient echo weighted fat-saturation imaging, plaque components can be defined. Post-processing software allows for semi- and fully automated quantitative analysis. Imaging correlation with surgical specimens suggests that this technique accurately differentiates plaque features. Total plaque burden and specific plaque components such as a thin fibrous cap, large fatty or necrotic core and intraplaque hemorrhage are accepted markers of neuroischemic events. Given the systemic nature of atherosclerosis, emerging science suggests that the presence of carotid plaque is also an indicator of coronary artery plaque burden, although the preliminary data primarily involves patients with stable coronary disease. While the availability and cost-effectiveness of MRI will ultimately be important determinants of whether carotid MRI is adopted clinically in cardiovascular risk assessment, the high accuracy and reliability of this technique suggests that it has potential as an imaging biomarker of future risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Navneet Singh
- Department of Medical Imaging, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, 2075 Bayview Avenue, Room AG56b, Toronto, ON, M4N 3M5, Canada
| | - Alan R Moody
- Department of Medical Imaging, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, 2075 Bayview Avenue, Room AG56b, Toronto, ON, M4N 3M5, Canada
| | - Idan Roifman
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - David A Bluemke
- Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Anna E H Zavodni
- Department of Medical Imaging, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, 2075 Bayview Avenue, Room AG56b, Toronto, ON, M4N 3M5, Canada.
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