BACKGROUND: The location of plaque may be associated with the vascular geometry. AIM: We aimed to examine the relationship between the geometry of middle cerebral artery and the plaque location detected by high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging. METHODS: Among patients with a single subcortical infarction without a significant middle cerebral artery stenosis on magnetic resonance angiography, those with a plaque detected from high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging were prospectively enrolled. The shape of middle cerebral artery was measured from the coronal view, and was classified as straight, U-shaped, inverted U-shaped, and S-shaped. The location of the plaque was divided into superior and inferior, and analyzed according to the shape of middle cerebral artery. RESULTS: Among the 40 patients, the shape of middle cerebral artery was straight in 7 (17·5%), U-shaped in 10 (15·0%), inverted U-shaped in 11 (27·5%), and S-shaped in 12 patients (30·0%). The superior plaque was more closely associated with straight (85·7%) or U-shaped middle cerebral arteries (90·0%), whereas inverted U-shaped (81·8%) and S-shaped middle cerebral arteries (75·0%) were more often associated with inferior plaque. The prevalence of symptomatic plaque was higher in superior than inferior plaques (70·0% vs. 25·0%, P = 0·004). Multivariate analysis showed that straight and U-shaped middle cerebral artery was the only significant factor associated with the superior plaque. CONCLUSION: The shape of middle cerebral artery may be a factor determining the location of early atherosclerotic plaque.
BACKGROUND: The location of plaque may be associated with the vascular geometry. AIM: We aimed to examine the relationship between the geometry of middle cerebral artery and the plaque location detected by high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging. METHODS: Among patients with a single subcortical infarction without a significant middle cerebral artery stenosis on magnetic resonance angiography, those with a plaque detected from high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging were prospectively enrolled. The shape of middle cerebral artery was measured from the coronal view, and was classified as straight, U-shaped, inverted U-shaped, and S-shaped. The location of the plaque was divided into superior and inferior, and analyzed according to the shape of middle cerebral artery. RESULTS: Among the 40 patients, the shape of middle cerebral artery was straight in 7 (17·5%), U-shaped in 10 (15·0%), inverted U-shaped in 11 (27·5%), and S-shaped in 12 patients (30·0%). The superior plaque was more closely associated with straight (85·7%) or U-shaped middle cerebral arteries (90·0%), whereas inverted U-shaped (81·8%) and S-shaped middle cerebral arteries (75·0%) were more often associated with inferior plaque. The prevalence of symptomatic plaque was higher in superior than inferior plaques (70·0% vs. 25·0%, P = 0·004). Multivariate analysis showed that straight and U-shaped middle cerebral artery was the only significant factor associated with the superior plaque. CONCLUSION: The shape of middle cerebral artery may be a factor determining the location of early atherosclerotic plaque.
Authors: Sang Hee Ha; Jae-Chan Ryu; Jae-Han Bae; Sujin Koo; Jun Young Chang; Dong-Wha Kang; Sun U Kwon; Jong S Kim; Dae-Il Chang; Bum Joon Kim Journal: Sci Rep Date: 2022-10-06 Impact factor: 4.996