(ISMRM 2010) Diffusion Weighted Imaging of Carotid Atherosclerotic Plaque in Symptomatic Patients at 3-Tesla: Correlation with MRI, CT & Histopathological Predictors of Plaque Vulnerability
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Abstract #2220

Diffusion Weighted Imaging of Carotid Atherosclerotic Plaque in Symptomatic Patients at 3-Tesla: Correlation with MRI, CT & Histopathological Predictors of Plaque Vulnerability

N Jane Taylor1, Vicky J. Goh1, J James Stirling1, Ian Simcock1, Matthew Orton2, David J. Collins2, Ralph Strecker3, Leon Menezes4, Raymond Endozo4, Justin J. Cross5, Richard Harvey6, Carl W. Kotze6, Syed W. Yusuf6, Ashley Groves4

1Paul Strickland Scanner Centre, Mount Vernon Hospital, Northwood, Middlesex HA6 2RN, United Kingdom; 2CRUK-EPSRC Cancer Imaging Centre, Institute of Cancer Research & Royal Marsden Hospital, Sutton, Surrey, SM2 5PT, United Kingdom; 3Healthcare Sector, Siemens AG, 91052 Erlangen, Germany; 4University College Hospital, London, United Kingdom; 5Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge, United Kingdom; 6Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals, Brighton, Sussex, United Kingdom


Accurate identification of vulnerable carotid plaque influences patient treatment. Diffusion weighted imaging at 3T may potentially contribute to the identification of active plaques. This feasibility study in 14 patients with symptomatic disease assesses the correlation between plaque apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and imaging/histopathological features of vulnerability (thin cap, lipid core, haemorrhage, angiogenesis (CD105 or VEGF) & inflammation (CD68). Mean (SD) plaque ADC was 1.30 X10-3(0.29) mm2/s. There was no difference in ADC between patients with and without MRI features of plaque vulnerability. There was a positive trend between ADC & CD105/VEGF, markers of angiogenesis meriting further investigation.

Keywords

plaquepatientscarotiddiffusionfeatureskingdomplaquesvulnerabilitycorrelationhospitalaxialrelationshipsurgerysymptomaticactiveapparentassessedattackcancercoefficientcoreinflammationlipidmorphologicalpositivepredictorsradiologyscannertransienttrendyearsaggregation