Victoria Eleanor Louise Young1, Umar Sadat1,
Andrew J. Patterson1, Martin J. Graves1,2, Tjun Y. Tang1,
Peter J. Kirkpatrick3, Jonathan H. Gillard1
1University Department of Radiology,
Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom; 2Department
of Medical Physics, Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, United
Kingdom; 3Department of Neurosurgery, Addenbrookes Hospital,
Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom
Multi-contrast
MRI is used for detection of complex carotid plaque, however, it is time
consuming. Direct thrombus imaging (DTI) has been used previously to detect
intraplaque haemorrhage. The aim of this study was to assess whether DTI
could be used independent of other sequences to demonstrate complex disease.
55 patients with carotid stenosis (>30%) were imaged at 1.5T using a 4
channel phased-array carotid coil. Independent observers reviewed the
multi-contrast imaging and DTI separately. DTI was found to be highly
sensitive/specific for detecting complex plaque. DTI can be used independent
of other imaging to identify complex plaque.