Gillard J H
University Department of Radiology, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 2QQ, UK.
Neuroradiology. 2003 Oct;45(10):671-80. doi: 10.1007/s00234-003-1054-5. Epub 2003 Sep 4.
There have been tremendous advances in our ability to image atheromatous disease, particularly in the carotid artery, which is accessible and large enough to image. The repertoire of methodology available is growing, giving anatomical information on luminal narrowing which is approaching the level at which conventional carotid angiography will become very uncommon as CT and contrast-enhanced MR angiographic techniques become the norm. More exciting is the tentative ability to perform functional plaque imaging addressing enhancement patterns and macrophage activity using MR or positron-emission tomography techniques. These techniques, once rigorously evaluated, may, in addition to complex mathematical modelling of plaque, eventually allow us to assess true plaque risk. Time will best judge whether we will be able to move from the use of simple luminology to assessment of plaque function.
在对动脉粥样硬化疾病进行成像的能力方面已经取得了巨大进展，尤其是在颈动脉成像上，颈动脉易于接近且足够大以便成像。可用的方法种类正在不断增加，能够提供关于管腔狭窄的解剖学信息，随着CT和对比增强磁共振血管造影技术成为常规手段，这种信息正接近使传统颈动脉血管造影变得非常罕见的水平。更令人兴奋的是，利用磁共振或正电子发射断层扫描技术对斑块进行功能成像的初步能力，这种成像能够研究强化模式和巨噬细胞活性。这些技术一旦经过严格评估，除了对斑块进行复杂的数学建模外，最终可能会使我们能够评估真正的斑块风险。时间将是判断我们是否能够从使用简单的管腔学方法转向评估斑块功能的最佳标准。
