Meeting Banner
Abstract #1271

High Resolution 3D Carotid Plaque Perfusion Mapping and Its Association with T2 Hyperintensity

Michael Jerosch-Herold1, YiuCho Chung2, Ravi Teja Seethamraju3, Otavio R. Coelho-Filho4, Marcelo Fernando Di Carli, Peter Libby, Raymond Y. Kwong

1Radiology, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States; 2MRI, Siemens Medical Systems, Columbus, OH, United States; 3Siemens Medical Systems, Boston, MA, United States; 4Brigham & Women's Hospital, United States


The transfer rate (Ktrans) of gadolinium contrast into the extracellular space is a validated marker of carotid plaque neo-vascularization and inflammation. T2-weighted imaging is a complementary marker of inflammation in vessel wall and plaque. The association between Ktrans and increased SI on T2 images of carotid plaque was investigated in this study by high resolution, 3D dynamic T1w gradient echo imaging, and a 3D T2w TSE method (T2-SPACE). Ktrans and T2-signal hyper-enhancement were found to be strongly associated markers of neo-vascularization and inflammation, respectively.