Reproducibility and Reliability of Atherosclerotic Plaque Volume Measurements in Peripheral Arterial Disease with Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance

Abstract

A high resolution, noninvasive approach to quantify atherosclerotic plaque in the peripheral vasculature could have significant clinical and research utility. Seventeen patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) were studied in a 1.5T CMR scanner. Atherosclerotic plaque volume in the superficial femoral artery was measured and interobserver, intraobserver, and test-retest variability determined. Nineteen vessels were studied with mean acquisition time of 13.1 minutes per vessel. Mean plaque volume was 7.27 ± 3.73 cm 3 . Intra-observer intraclass correlation was R = 0.997, inter-observer was R = 0.987, and test-retest reproducibility was R = 0.996. Thus, high resolution measurement of plaque volume in PAD is reliable and reproducible.

MRI of atherosclerosis: diagnosis and monitoring therapy

“…Furthermore, because plaque volume measured by MRI is highly reproducible, the sample sizes needed to adequately power clinical studies could be dramatically reduced [37]. Excitement over using MRI for this purpose has already spawned several small clinical studies in which MRI has demonstrated significant carotid and aortic plaque regression after treatment with lipid lowering therapy.…”

“…Choulden et al [49]successfully used high resolution MRI to define the extent of atherosclerotic plaque and characterize the changes that occur with remodeling and restenosis following angioplasty of the popliteal artery. Our group has demonstrated the feasibility and reproducibility of MRI to assess plaque volume in the superficial femoral artery [37] (figure 4). Based on the reliability of the techniques used, sample sizes for clinical trials of atherosclerosis regression could be reduced using this approach [37].…”

“…Our group has demonstrated the feasibility and reproducibility of MRI to assess plaque volume in the superficial femoral artery [37] (figure 4). Based on the reliability of the techniques used, sample sizes for clinical trials of atherosclerosis regression could be reduced using this approach [37]. These two studies highlight the tremendous potential MRI has to survey the effects of treatment whether it is invasive or medical on the progression or regression of atherosclerosis.…”

“…High resolution MRI has thus emerged as a leading noninvasive imaging modality of atherosclerotic disease due to its ability to assess the lumen while also assessing plaque burden and differentiating plaque components in an accurate and noninvasive manner [13]. High resolution MRI has been used in the research setting to evaluate atherosclerotic plaque in human carotid [32,33,34], aortic [35,36], peripheral [37], and coronary arteries [38,39]. Several in vitro and in vivo studies have validated the ability of MRI to differentiate the major components of atherosclerotic plaque including fibrous cap, lipid core, calcium, and hemorrhage.…”

3D Quantitative Evaluation of Atherosclerotic Plaque Based on Rotational Angiography

“…5,7,[11][12][13] While plaque volume has been reported as an important tool for patient management and for evaluating new therapies, [14][15][16] methods to evaluate this index are limited. 14,15,17,18 Because conventional angiography remains the criterion standard for the diagnosis of vascular diseases, 19,20 techniques that can quantify plaque by using conventional angiography data can be useful.…”