Quadruple inversion-recovery high-resolution contrast-enhanced MR for vulnerable carotid plaque imaging
Zhefeng Yu1, Jianzhong Sun1, Yong Zhang2, and Minming Zhang1

1Radiology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China, People's Republic of, 2MR Research China, GE Healthcare, Beijing, China, People's Republic of

Synopsis

This preliminary study found 25 carotid plaques in eighteen patients with 40-99% stenosis degree. Both readers gave their scores of enhanced QIR T1 weighted images (p>0.05). SNRs were evaluated as 109±21 and 113±18 (p>0.05) before and after the contrast enhancement. And CNRs were 98±19 and 82±22 (p>0.05) for the same comparison. Gd-enhanced QIR for carotid plaque imaging can achieve high quality due to good inhibition of blood flow.

Purpose

Carotid atherosclerotic plaques are vital culprit factor of cerebral infarction.1,2 We used the quadruple inversion recovery (QIR) sequence to acquire high-resolution enhanced MR images to evaluate carotid atherosclerotic plaques and their vulnerability. We also evaluated the quality of enhanced MRI images acquired with QIR.

Methods

All the subjects gave written informed consent to participate the study, which was approved by the local ethical committee. Eighteen patients with carotid plaques were included in our study. All these patients were scanned with a 3.0T Discovery 750 MR scanner ((GE Healthcare, Milwaukee, WI) with an eight-channel phased-array neck surface coil (Chengguang, Shanghai, China). Our protocol included a 2D time-of-flight MR angiography (2D-TOF MRA), axial fast SE T2WI, axial FSE T1 weighted images and enhanced T1 weighted images acquired with the QIR technique around carotid bifurcation. Two independent radiologists evaluated carotid plaque morphology (wall border, fibrous cap and lipid-rich necrotic core). Image quantitative measurements included signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR).

Results

We found 25 carotid plaques in these eighteen patients with 40-99% stenosis degree. Both readers gave their scores of enhanced QIR T1weighted images (p>0.05). SNRs were evaluated as 109±21 and 113±18 (p>0.05) before and after the contrast enhancement. And CNRs were 98±19 and 82±22 (p>0.05) for the same comparison.

Discussion and Conclusion

Gd-enhanced QIR for carotid plaque imaging can achieve high quality due to good inhibition of blood flow.

Acknowledgements

No acknowledgement found.

References

1. Kerwin WS. Carotid artery disease and stroke: assessing risk with vessel wall MRI. ISRN Cardiol. 2012:180710.

2. Takemoto Kl, Ueba T, Takano K, et al. Quantitative evaluation using the plaque/muscle ratio index panels predicts plaque type and risk of embolism in patients undergoing carotid artery stenting. Clin Neurol Neurosurg. 2013;115(8):1298-1303.

Figures

QIR T1w of carotid artery

Gd-enhanced QIR T1w of carotid artery



Proc. Intl. Soc. Mag. Reson. Med. 24 (2016)
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