Characterization of healing following atherosclerotic carotid plaque rupture in acutely symptomatic patients: an exploratory study using in vivo cardiovascular magnetic resonance | springermedicine.com

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Journal of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance

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Open Access 01-12-2011 | Research

Characterization of healing following atherosclerotic carotid plaque rupture in acutely symptomatic patients: an exploratory study using in vivo cardiovascular magnetic resonance

Authors: Zhongzhao Teng, Andrew J Degnan, Umar Sadat, Fang Wang, Victoria E Young, Martin J Graves, Shengyong Chen, Jonathan H Gillard

Published in: Journal of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance | Issue 1/2011

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Abstract

Background

Carotid plaque rupture, characterized by ruptured fibrous cap (FC), is associated with subsequent cerebrovascular events. However, ruptured FC may heal following stroke and convey decreased risk of future events. This study aims to characterize the healing process of ruptured FC by assessing the lumen conditions, quantified by the lumen curvature and roughness, using in vivo carotid cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR).

Methods

Patients suffering from transient ischemic attack underwent high resolution carotid MR imaging within 72 hours of the acute cerebrovascular ischemic event. CMR imaging was repeated at 3 and 12 months in 26 patients, in whom FC rupture/erosion was observed on baseline images and subsequent cerebrovascular events were recorded during the follow-up period. Lumen curvature and roughness were quantified from carotid CMR images and changes in these values were monitored on follow-up imaging.

Results

Healing of ruptured plaque was observed in patients (23 out of 26) without any ischemic symptom recurrence as shown by the lumen surface becoming smoother during the follow-up period, characterized by decreasing maximum lumen curvature (p < 0.05), increasing minimum lumen curvature (p < 0.05) and decreasing lumen roughness (p < 0.05) during the one year follow-up period.

Conclusions

Carotid plaque healing can be assessed by quantification of the lumen curvature and roughness and the incidence of recurrent cerebrovascular events may be high in plaques that do not heal with time. The assessment of plaque healing may facilitate risk stratification of recent stroke patients on the basis of CMR results.

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Title: Characterization of healing following atherosclerotic carotid plaque rupture in acutely symptomatic patients: an exploratory study using in vivo cardiovascular magnetic resonance
Authors: Zhongzhao Teng
Andrew J Degnan
Umar Sadat
Fang Wang
Victoria E Young
Martin J Graves
Shengyong Chen
Jonathan H Gillard
Publication date: 01-12-2011
Publisher: BioMed Central
Published in: Journal of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance / Issue 1/2011
Electronic ISSN: 1532-429X
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1532-429X-13-64

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