Characteristics of Carotid Plaque Findings on Ultrasonography and Black Blood Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Comparison with Pathological Findings

Abstract

The findings of carotid ultrasonography and BB-MRI are closely associated with the CEA specimen's morphology. Ultrasonography alone is insufficient to diagnose the plaque type accurately in some patients. Employing both carotid US and BB-MRI is useful for evaluating the characteristics of carotid plaque.

Optimal MR Plaque Imaging for Cervical Carotid Artery Stenosis in Predicting the Development of Microembolic Signals during Exposure of Carotid Arteries in Endarterectomy: Comparison of 4 T1-Weighted Imaging Techniques

“…15 This could be due to interinstitutional differences in the methodology for such imaging techniques as cardiac-gated black-blood fast spin-echo (BB-FSE), [16][17][18][19] magnetization-prepared rapid acquisition of gradient echo, 12,[20][21][22] source image of 3D time-of-flight MR angiography (SI-MRA), 23 and noncardiac-gated spin-echo (SE). 15,24,25 Although the cardiac-gated BB-FSE method is most commonly used for T1-weighted MR plaque imaging, 17,18 the TR is dependent on a single R-R interval from electrocardiography, which occasionally results in an overly long TR to diminish proton density-weighted contrast and to enhance T1-weighted contrast. 25 In addition to cardiac gating, proton density-weighted contrast is preserved when using T1-weighted spoiled gradient-echo techniques, which are generally used for MRA.…”

Circulating miRNA levels differ with respect to carotid plaque characteristics and symptom occurrence in patients with carotid artery stenosis and provide information on future cardiovascular events

“…Although exact histopathological composition of the carotid atherosclerotic plaque cannot be judged by echogenicity obtained on ultrasonography, carotid ultrasonography helps to distinguish soft (lipid-rich and thrombotic) from hard (fibrotic and calcified) plaques, indicate irregular and ulcerated plaques, and estimate the degree of ICAS [ 11 , 12 ].…”

“…Echolucency and heterogeneous appearance in the ultrasonography, as well as the presence of thrombus or ulcerations within a plaque, are distinguishing features for an unstable plaque with a predisposition to rupture [ 8 – 10 ]; however, ultrasonography alone is insufficient to diagnose the plaque type accurately in some patients [ 11 , 12 ].…”

Current status of carotid ultrasound in atherosclerosis

“…Compared with MRI and CT, ultrasound is inferior to detect ulceration (76,77) but is relatively sensitive for detecting LRNC and IPH which appear as plaque echolucency (78). With the aid of contrast imaging, the sensitivity and specificity of ultrasound for detecting ulceration and neovascularization can be increased (68,74).…”