Imaging and Hemodynamic Characteristics of Vulnerable Carotid Plaques and Artificial Intelligence Applications in Plaque Classification and Segmentation

Figures

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  Figure 1. Definition of vulnerable carotid plaque (IPH and incomplete fibrous cap). Pre-enhanced VW-HRMRI 3D T1WI (A,B): inhomogeneous hyperintensity in the plaque and plaque surface was not smooth. T2WI-SPAIR image (C): hypointensity in the plaque. Post-enhanced VW-HRMRI 3D T1WI (D,E): discontinuous thin-linear enhancement on plaque surface. TOF image (F): hyperintensity in the plaque.

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  Figure 2. Definition of stable carotid plaque (intraplaque lipid and complete fibrous cap). Pre-enhanced VW-HRMRI 3D T1WI (A,B): homogeneous isointensity in the plaque and plaque surface was smooth. Post-enhanced VW-HRMRI 3D T1WI (C,D): continuous thick-linear enhancement on plaque surface.

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  Figure 3. Examples of hemodynamic parameters (velocity and WSS) are visibly shown by 4D flow. (A,B): these cases showed that the velocity and WSS decreased with age in healthy volunteers’ carotids, and the proximal internal carotid artery decreased significantly [48]. (C,D): the WSS in the vulnerable carotid plaque increased and the stable carotid plaque declined, and the degree of changes varied at different time points [50].