Why the study?
Does three-dimensional TOF MRA provide accurate information on plaque location, morphology, and composition compared to histology in pre-endarterectomy patients?
Does three-dimensional TOF MRA provide accurate information on plaque location, morphology, and composition compared to histology in pre-endarterectomy patients?
Three-dimensional TOF MRA is a promising non-invasive imaging modality that correlates well with histology for evaluating the morphology and composition of carotid atherosclerotic plaques.
Should not yet change carotid imaging practice; hypothesis-generating for 3D TOF MRA plaque assessment.
Carotid artery atherosclerotic plaques (APs) can lead to brain ischemia, an event shown to correlate with both the degree of stenosis and the composition of the AP. Currently, accurate estimates of stenosis can be obtained by either x-ray angiography or three-dimensional time-of-flight (TOF) magnetic resonance angiography (MRA). Our purpose was to determine whether three-dimensional TOF MRA images could also provide information on plaque location, morphology, and composition. Seven pre-endarterectomy patients underwent three-dimensional TOF MRA. After endarterectomy, plaque histology was evaluated. Three-dimensional TOF MRA images contained sufficient soft tissue contrast to differentiate the plaques from the surrounding tissues in all cases. Estimation of plaque morphology had 80% correlation with histology. Finally, intraplaque hemorrhage and calcification were deplicted as regions of moderately high and very low intensity, respectively. These preliminary results suggest that three-dimensional TOF MRA may be useful in studying the development and progression of carotid atherosclerosis.
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Wildy et al. (1996) studied this question.
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