Evaluation of semiautomated internal carotid artery stenosis quantification from 3-dimensional contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiograms.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES

The performance of a semiautomatic technique for internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis quantification of the internal carotid artery in contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography was evaluated.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The degree of stenosis of 52 ICAs was quantified by measuring the cross-sectional area along the center lumen line. This was performed both by 3 independent observers and the semiautomated method. The degree of stenosis was defined as the amount of cross-sectional lumen reduction.

RESULTS

Agreement between the method and observers was good (weighted-kappa, kappaW = 0.89). Reproducibility of measurements of the semiautomated technique was better (kappaW = 0.97) than that of the observers (kappaW = 0.76), and the evaluated technique was considerably less time-consuming.

CONCLUSIONS

Because the user interaction is limited, this technique can be used to replace an expert observer in 3-dimensional stenosis quantification of the ICA at CE-MRA in clinical practice.