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T1-weighted MRI for the detection of coronary artery plaque haemorrhage

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Abstract

Objective

Hyperintense areas in atherosclerotic plaques on pre-contrast T1-weighted MRI have been shown to correlate with intraplaque haemorrhage. We evaluated the presence of T1 hyperintensity in coronary artery plaques in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients and correlated results with multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) findings.

Methods

Fifteen patients with CAD were included. Plaques detected by MDCT were categorised based on their Hounsfield number. T1-weighted inversion recovery (IR) MRI prepared coronary MRI for the detection of plaque and steady-state free-precession coronary MR-angiography for anatomical correlation was performed. After registration of MDCT and MRI, regions of interest were defined on MDCT-visible plaques and in corresponding vessel segments acquired with MRI. MDCT density and MR signal measurement were performed in each plaque.

Results

Forty-three plaques were identified with MDCT. With IR-MRI 5/43 (12%) plaques were hyperintense, 2 of which were non-calcified and 3 mixed. Average signal-to-noise and contrast-to-noise ratios of hyperintense plaques were 15.7 and 9.1, compared with 5.6 and 1.2 for hypointense plaques. Hyperintense plaques exhibited a significantly lower CT density than hypointense plaques (63.6 vs. 140.8). There was no correlation of plaque signal intensity with degree of stenosis.

Conclusion

T1-weighted IR-MRI may be useful for non-invasive detection and characterisation of intraplaque haemorrhage in coronary artery plaques.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Radiology, University of Münster, Albert-Schweitzer-Str. 33, 48149, Münster, Germany

    May Lin Oei, Murat Ozgun, Harald Seifarth, Alexander Bunck, Roman Fischbach, Walter Heindel & David Maintz

  2. Department of Cardiology, University of Münster, Albert-Schweitzer-Str. 33, 48149, Münster, Germany

    Stefan Orwat

  3. King’s College London BHF Centre, Division of Imaging Science, Biomedical Research Centre of Guy’s and St. Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK

    Rene Botnar

Authors
  1. May Lin Oei
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  2. Murat Ozgun
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  3. Harald Seifarth
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  4. Alexander Bunck
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  6. Stefan Orwat
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  7. Walter Heindel
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  8. Rene Botnar
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  9. David Maintz
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to David Maintz.

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Oei, M.L., Ozgun, M., Seifarth, H. et al. T1-weighted MRI for the detection of coronary artery plaque haemorrhage. Eur Radiol 20, 2817–2823 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-010-1878-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-010-1878-4

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