Changwu Zhou1, Huiyu Qiao2, Le He2, Chun Yuan3, Huijun Chen2, Qiang Zhang2, Rui Li2, Wei Wang4, Fang Du4, Cheng Li5, Xihai Zhao6. 1. Center for Biomedical Imaging Research, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tsinghua University School of Medicine, Beijing, China; Department of Radiology, The Second Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China. 2. Center for Biomedical Imaging Research, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tsinghua University School of Medicine, Beijing, China. 3. Center for Biomedical Imaging Research, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tsinghua University School of Medicine, Beijing, China; Department of Radiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA. 4. Department of Radiology, The Second Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China. 5. Department of Radiology, Zhongda Hospital, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, China. Electronic address: cjr.licheng@vip.163.com. 6. Center for Biomedical Imaging Research, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tsinghua University School of Medicine, Beijing, China. Electronic address: xihaizhao@tsinghua.edu.cn.
Abstract
PURPOSE: To investigate the characteristics of plaque in the thoracic aorta using three dimensional multicontrast magnetic resonance imaging. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Elderly subjects (≥60years) were recruited in this study. Thoracic aorta was imaged on a 3.0T MR scanner by acquiring multicontrast sequences. The plaque burden was evaluated by measuring lumen area, wall area, wall thickness, and normalized wall index. The presence or absence of plaque and intraplaque hemorrhage (IPH)/mural thrombus (MT) were identified. The characteristics of atherosclerosis among different thoracic aorta segments (AAO: ascending aorta; AOA: aortic arch, and DOA: descending aorta) were determined. RESULTS: Of 66 recruited subjects (mean age 72.3±6.2years, 30 males), 55 (83.3%) had plaques in the thoracic aorta. The prevalence of plaque in AAO, AOA, and DAO was 5.4%, 72.7%, and 71.2%, respectively. In addition, 21.2% of subjects were found to have lesions with IPH/MT in the thoracic aorta. The prevalence of IPH/MT in segment of AAO, AOA and DAO was 0%, 13.6%, and 12.1%, respectively. The aortic wall showed the highest NWI in DAO (34.1%±4.8%), followed by AOA (31.2%±5%), and AAO (26.8%±3.3%) (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Three dimensional multicontrast MR imaging is capable of characterizing atherosclerotic plaques in the thoracic aorta. The findings of high prevalence of plaques and the presence of high risk plaques in the thoracic aorta suggest early screening for aortic vulnerable lesions in the elderly.
PURPOSE: To investigate the characteristics of plaque in the thoracic aorta using three dimensional multicontrast magnetic resonance imaging. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Elderly subjects (≥60years) were recruited in this study. Thoracic aorta was imaged on a 3.0T MR scanner by acquiring multicontrast sequences. The plaque burden was evaluated by measuring lumen area, wall area, wall thickness, and normalized wall index. The presence or absence of plaque and intraplaque hemorrhage (IPH)/mural thrombus (MT) were identified. The characteristics of atherosclerosis among different thoracic aorta segments (AAO: ascending aorta; AOA: aortic arch, and DOA: descending aorta) were determined. RESULTS: Of 66 recruited subjects (mean age 72.3±6.2years, 30 males), 55 (83.3%) had plaques in the thoracic aorta. The prevalence of plaque in AAO, AOA, and DAO was 5.4%, 72.7%, and 71.2%, respectively. In addition, 21.2% of subjects were found to have lesions with IPH/MT in the thoracic aorta. The prevalence of IPH/MT in segment of AAO, AOA and DAO was 0%, 13.6%, and 12.1%, respectively. The aortic wall showed the highest NWI in DAO (34.1%±4.8%), followed by AOA (31.2%±5%), and AAO (26.8%±3.3%) (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Three dimensional multicontrast MR imaging is capable of characterizing atherosclerotic plaques in the thoracic aorta. The findings of high prevalence of plaques and the presence of high risk plaques in the thoracic aorta suggest early screening for aortic vulnerable lesions in the elderly.
Authors: Zhehao Hu; Anthony G Christodoulou; Nan Wang; Jaime L Shaw; Shlee S Song; Marcel M Maya; Mariko L Ishimori; Lindsy J Forbess; Jiayu Xiao; Xiaoming Bi; Fei Han; Debiao Li; Zhaoyang Fan Journal: Magn Reson Med Date: 2020-04-16 Impact factor: 4.668
Authors: Li Chen; Jie Sun; Daniel S Hippe; Niranjan Balu; Quan Yuan; Isabelle Yuan; Xihai Zhao; Rui Li; Le He; Thomas S Hatsukami; Jenq-Neng Hwang; Chun Yuan Journal: Neurobiol Aging Date: 2019-03-28 Impact factor: 4.673
Authors: Jin Liu; Jie Sun; Niranjan Balu; Marina S Ferguson; Jinnan Wang; William S Kerwin; Daniel S Hippe; Amy Wang; Thomas S Hatsukami; Chun Yuan Journal: J Magn Reson Imaging Date: 2019-03-12 Impact factor: 4.813