Atherosclerosis imaging using 3D black blood TSE SPACEvs2D TSE

Abstract

AIM:To compare 3D Black Blood turbo spin echo (TSE) sampling perfection with application-optimized contrast using different flip angle evolution (SPACE) vs 2D TSE in evaluating atherosclerotic plaques in multiple vascular territories. METHODS:The carotid, aortic, and femoral arterial walls of 16 patients at risk for cardiovascular or atherosclerotic disease were studied using both 3D black blood magnetic resonance imaging SPACE and conventional 2D multi-contrast TSE sequences using a consolidated imaging approach in the same imaging session. Qualitative and quantitative analyses were performed on the images. Agreement of morphometric measurements between the two imaging sequences was assessed using a two-sample t -test, calculation of the intra-class correlation coefficient and by the method of linear regression and Bland-Altman analyses. RESULTS:No statistically significant qualitative differences were found between the 3D SPACE and 2D TSE techniques for images of the carotids and aorta. For images of the femoral arteries, however, there were statistically significant differences in all four qualitative scores between the two techniques. Using the current approach, 3D SPACE is suboptimal for femoral imaging. However, this may be due to coils not being optimized for femoral imaging. Quantitatively, in our study, higher mean total vessel area measurements for the 3D SPACE technique across all three vascular beds were observed. No significant differences in lumen area for both the right and left carotids were observed between the two techniques. Overall, a significant-correlation existed between measures obtained between the two approaches. Core tip: The traditional approach to atherosclerotic plaque imaging using magnetic resonance (MR) is the two-dimensional (2D) multi-contrast turbo spin echo technique. However, 3D black blood MR imaging is becoming the preferred methodology for evaluating plaque burden non-invasively. Comparing imaging results obtained using both 3D sampling Perfection with application-optimized contrast using different flip angle evolution (SPACE) and conventional 2D multi-contrast TSE sequences in evaluating vascular territories showed good agreement in both qualitative and quantitative measurements between the two techniques. 3D SPACE technique is a promising and potentially feasible approach for the evaluation of multiple vascular beds in patients at risk for cardiovascular disease. CONCLUSION:Wong SK, Mobolaji-Iawal M, Arama L, Cambe J, Biso S, Alie N, Fayad ZA, Mani V. Atherosclerosis imaging using 3D black blood TSE SPACE vs 2D TSE.

Increasing the Spatial Resolution of 3T Carotid MRI Has No Beneficial Effect for Plaque Component Measurement Reproducibility

“…A limitation of the current study is that 2D sequences are compared whereas nowadays 3D isotropic sequences are used more often. We anticipate that similar results would have been obtained if 3D sequences with varying voxel sizes would have been compared[ 31 ].…”

Vascular disease in cocaine addiction

“…For example, 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG-PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), PET/MR, allow simultaneous investigation and tracking of brain, cardiac and the carotid arteries function and structure in the same individuals. The PET with 18F-FDG can quantify vessel-wall inflammation in atherosclerotic plaques [101,102] and three dimensional black-blood dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI [103] can characterize carotid wall morphology (plaque microvessels, composition and burden).…”

Isotropic 3D black blood MRI of abdominal aortic aneurysm wall and intraluminal thrombus

“…It has been successfully used for aorta wall imaging in healthy volunteers and patients with cardiovascular or atherosclerotic disease with high isotropic resolution (1.1mm 3 ) [9] [10] [11]. However, blood suppression is less effective in the presence of slow or complex flow, and flow artifacts have been observed even in healthy volunteers with normal aorta geometry [9].…”