Comparison of carotid plaque ulcer detection using contrast-enhanced and time-of-flight MRA techniques.

ABSTRACT:

Background and purpose

Ulceration in carotid plaque is a risk indicator for ischemic stroke. Our aim was to compare plaque ulcer detection by standard TOF and CE-MRA techniques and to identify factors that influence its detection.

Materials and methods

Carotid MR imaging scans were acquired on 2066 participants in the ARIC study. We studied the 600 thickest plaques. TOF-MRA, CE-MRA, and black-blood MR images were analyzed together to define ulcer presence (plaque surface niche ≥2 mm in depth). Sixty ulcerated arteries were detected. These arteries were randomly assigned, along with 40 nonulcerated plaques from the remaining 540, for evaluation of ulcer presence by 2 neuroradiologists. Associations between ulcer detection and ulcer characteristics, including orientation, loca

SUBMITTER: Etesami M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7966309 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature