PURPOSE: To investigate the potential difference in the size of the lipid-rich necrotic core (LRNC) in carotid plaques of symptomatic patients versus asymptomatic patients. Pathological studies established that a large LRNC is an important feature of vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque. Previously, we have demonstrated a high correlation between semiquantitative analysis of the LRNC size in T1-weighted (w) turbo field echo (TFE) MR images and histology. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-seven patients with carotid stenosis >70% with (n = 26) or without (n = 11) symptoms were included. Three independent MR readers quantified the amount of LRNC with a T1w TFE pulse sequence. The relative amount of LRNC (LRNC score) was defined as sum of cross-sectional area percentages LRNC per carotid plaque. RESULTS: Interreader agreement for the three MR readers was good, with an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC, 95% confidence interval [CI]) of 0.72 (0.57-0.83). All three MR readers on average found a larger LRNC in the symptomatic group of patients, although this was not statistically significant. The mean LRNC score was 116 +/- 129 and 59 +/- 62 for symptomatic and asymptomatic patients, respectively (P = 0.13). Symptomatic patients showed wide ranges in LRNC scores (0-424), while the range was much lower in the asymptomatic group (0-170). CONCLUSION: Single-sequence T1w TFE may be a promising technique to study atherosclerotic plaque at risk of stroke. Larger studies are warranted to confirm these promising results. 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc
PURPOSE: To investigate the potential difference in the size of the lipid-rich necrotic core (LRNC) in carotid plaques of symptomatic patients versus asymptomatic patients. Pathological studies established that a large LRNC is an important feature of vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque. Previously, we have demonstrated a high correlation between semiquantitative analysis of the LRNC size in T1-weighted (w) turbo field echo (TFE) MR images and histology. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-seven patients with carotid stenosis >70% with (n = 26) or without (n = 11) symptoms were included. Three independent MR readers quantified the amount of LRNC with a T1w TFE pulse sequence. The relative amount of LRNC (LRNC score) was defined as sum of cross-sectional area percentages LRNC per carotid plaque. RESULTS: Interreader agreement for the three MR readers was good, with an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC, 95% confidence interval [CI]) of 0.72 (0.57-0.83). All three MR readers on average found a larger LRNC in the symptomatic group of patients, although this was not statistically significant. The mean LRNC score was 116 +/- 129 and 59 +/- 62 for symptomatic and asymptomatic patients, respectively (P = 0.13). Symptomatic patients showed wide ranges in LRNC scores (0-424), while the range was much lower in the asymptomatic group (0-170). CONCLUSION: Single-sequence T1w TFE may be a promising technique to study atherosclerotic plaque at risk of stroke. Larger studies are warranted to confirm these promising results. 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc
Authors: Umar Sadat; Zhongzhao Teng; Victoria E Young; Martin J Graves; Jonathan H Gillard Journal: Int J Cardiovasc Imaging Date: 2010-06-08 Impact factor: 2.357
Authors: Jason S Weinstein; Csanad G Varallyay; Edit Dosa; Seymur Gahramanov; Bronwyn Hamilton; William D Rooney; Leslie L Muldoon; Edward A Neuwelt Journal: J Cereb Blood Flow Metab Date: 2009-09-16 Impact factor: 6.200
Authors: Raf H M van Hoof; Floris H B M Schreuder; Patty Nelemans; Martine T B Truijman; Narender P van Orshoven; Tobien H Schreuder; Werner H Mess; Sylvia Heeneman; Robert J van Oostenbrugge; Joachim E Wildberger; M Eline Kooi Journal: Cerebrovasc Dis Date: 2017-09-26 Impact factor: 2.762