Pierre Amarenco1, Fabien Hyafil2, Nidaa Mikail3, Elena Meseguer1, Philippa Lavallée1, Isabelle Klein1, Cristina Hobeanu1, Céline Guidoux1, Lucie Cabrejo1, Guy Lesèche4. 1. Department of Neurology, Bichat University Hospital, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, University of Paris, Paris, France. 2. Department of Nuclear Medicine, Georges-Pompidou European Hospital, DMU IMAGINA, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, University of Paris, 20 rue Leblanc, 75015, Paris, France. fabien.hyafil@aphp.fr. 3. Department of Nuclear Medicine, Bichat University Hospital, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, University of Paris, Paris, France. 4. Department of Vascular Surgery, Bichat University Hospital, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, University of Paris, Paris, France.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Non-stenotic plaques are an underestimated cause of ischemic stroke. Imaging aspects of high-risk carotid plaques can be identified on CT angiography (CTA) and 18F-fluoro-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) imaging. We evaluated in patients with cryptogenic ischemic stroke the usefulness of FDG-PET-CTA. METHODS: 44 patients imaged with CTA and FDG-PET were identified retrospectively. Morphological features were identified on CTA. Intensity of FDG uptake in carotid arteries was quantified on PET. RESULTS: Patients were imaged 7 ± 8 days after stroke. 44 non-stenotic plaques with increased 18F-FDG uptake were identified in the carotid artery ipsilateral to stroke and 7 contralateral. Most-diseased-segment TBR on FDG-PET was higher in artery ipsilateral vs. contralateral to stroke (2.24 ± 0.80 vs. 1.84 ± 0.50; p < .05). In the carotid region with high FDG uptake, prevalence of hypodense plaques and extent of hypodensity on CTA were higher in artery ipsilateral vs. contralateral to stroke (41% vs. 11%; 0.72 ± 1.2 mm2 vs. 0.13 ± 0.43 mm2; p < .05). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with ischemic stroke of unknown origin and non-stenotic plaques, we found an increased prevalence of high-risk plaques features ipsilateral vs. contralateral to stroke on FDG-PET-CTA imaging suggesting a causal role for these plaques.
OBJECTIVES: Non-stenotic plaques are an underestimated cause of ischemic stroke. Imaging aspects of high-risk carotid plaques can be identified on CT angiography (CTA) and 18F-fluoro-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) imaging. We evaluated in patients with cryptogenic ischemic stroke the usefulness of FDG-PET-CTA. METHODS: 44 patients imaged with CTA and FDG-PET were identified retrospectively. Morphological features were identified on CTA. Intensity of FDG uptake in carotid arteries was quantified on PET. RESULTS: Patients were imaged 7 ± 8 days after stroke. 44 non-stenotic plaques with increased 18F-FDG uptake were identified in the carotid artery ipsilateral to stroke and 7 contralateral. Most-diseased-segment TBR on FDG-PET was higher in artery ipsilateral vs. contralateral to stroke (2.24 ± 0.80 vs. 1.84 ± 0.50; p < .05). In the carotid region with high FDG uptake, prevalence of hypodense plaques and extent of hypodensity on CTA were higher in artery ipsilateral vs. contralateral to stroke (41% vs. 11%; 0.72 ± 1.2 mm2 vs. 0.13 ± 0.43 mm2; p < .05). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with ischemic stroke of unknown origin and non-stenotic plaques, we found an increased prevalence of high-risk plaques features ipsilateral vs. contralateral to stroke on FDG-PET-CTA imaging suggesting a causal role for these plaques.
Authors: Tanush Gupta; Neha Paul; Dhaval Kolte; Prakash Harikrishnan; Sahil Khera; Wilbert S Aronow; Marjan Mujib; Chandrasekar Palaniswamy; Sachin Sule; Diwakar Jain; Ali Ahmed; Howard A Cooper; William H Frishman; Deepak L Bhatt; Gregg C Fonarow; Julio A Panza Journal: J Am Heart Assoc Date: 2015-06-16 Impact factor: 5.501