Evaluation of carotid artery atherosclerotic plaque distribution by using long-axis high-resolution black-blood magnetic resonance imaging.

Object: The goal of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of long-axis black-blood MR (BB-MR) imaging for assessing plaque morphology and distribution in patients with atherosclerotic carotid artery (CA) stenosis.

Methods: Sixty-eight carotid arteries in 67 patients who were scheduled to undergo CA endarterectomy or CA stent placement due to atherosclerotic stenosis were included in this study. The patients had undergone CA BB-MR imaging and digital subtraction (DS) angiography within 3 weeks of revascularization. The DS angiography studies were performed using the transfemoral artery approach with selective common CA catheterization. The BB-MR images were acquired using a 1.5-T whole-body MR imaging unit, and T1-weighted images parallel to the long axis of the artery at 1-mm intervals were obtained. Plaque distribution was evaluated by measuring the distance between the CA bifurcation and the point that appeared to be the distal extent of the plaque on BB-MR imaging (D-MR imaging) and DS angiography images (D-DS angiography).

Results: Plaque distribution was clearly shown in 88.2% of the cases using long-axis BB-MR images, except for 8 arteries with poor image quality. In 4 arteries, D-DS angiography could not be obtained because the distal plaque end could not be confirmed. In 56 vessels, both the D-DS angiography and D-MR imaging could be measured; the mean D-MR imaging (19.75 +/- 6.85 mm [standard deviation]) was significantly longer than the average D-DS angiography (16.32 +/- 7.07 mm).

Conclusions: Long-axis BB-MR imaging can provide a noninvasive and accurate way to show CA plaque distribution; it is of great use not only for stroke risk assessment in patients with CA atherosclerosis but also for preoperative evaluation in patients requiring CA endarterectomy or CA stent placement.