Wolf Ronald L, Wehrli Suzanne L, Popescu Andra M, Woo John H, Song Hee Kwon, Wright Alexander C, Mohler Emile R, Harding John D, Zager Eric L, Fairman Ronald M, Golden Michael A, Velazquez Omaida C, Carpenter Jeffrey P, Wehrli Felix W
Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, 3400 Spruce St, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2005 Aug;25(8):1729-35. doi: 10.1161/01.ATV.0000173311.39867.65. Epub 2005 Jun 9.
High-resolution MRI methods have been used to evaluate carotid artery atherosclerotic plaque content. The purpose of this study was to assess the performance of high-resolution MRI in evaluation of the quantity and pattern of mineral deposition in carotid endarterectomy (CEA) specimens, with quantitative micro-CT as the gold standard.
High-resolution MRI and CT were compared in 20 CEA specimens. Linear regression comparing mineral volumes generated from CT (VCT) and MRI (VMRI) data demonstrated good correlation using simple thresholding (VMRI=-0.01+0.98VCT; R2=0.90; threshold=4xnoise) and k-means clustering methods (VMRI=-0.005+1.38VCT; R2=0.93). Bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC [mineral mass]) were calculated for CT data and BMC verified with ash weight. Patterns of mineralization like particles, granules, and sheets were more clearly depicted on CT.
Mineral volumes generated from MRI or CT data were highly correlated. CT provided a more detailed depiction of mineralization patterns and provided BMD and BMC in addition to mineral volume. The extent of mineralization as well as the morphology may ultimately be useful in assessing plaque stability.
高分辨率磁共振成像（MRI）方法已被用于评估颈动脉粥样硬化斑块的成分。本研究的目的是以定量显微CT作为金标准，评估高分辨率MRI在评估颈动脉内膜切除术（CEA）标本中矿物质沉积的数量和模式方面的性能。
对20个CEA标本的高分辨率MRI和CT进行了比较。使用简单阈值法（VMRI = -0.01 + 0.98VCT；R2 = 0.90；阈值 = 4×噪声）和k均值聚类方法（VMRI = -0.005 + 1.38VCT；R2 = 0.93），对CT（VCT）和MRI（VMRI）数据生成的矿物质体积进行线性回归分析，结果显示具有良好的相关性。计算CT数据的骨矿物质密度（BMD）和骨矿物质含量（BMC[矿物质质量]），并通过灰重来验证BMC。CT上更清晰地描绘了颗粒、小颗粒和片状等矿化模式。
MRI或CT数据生成的矿物质体积高度相关。CT除了能提供矿物质体积外，还能更详细地描绘矿化模式，并提供BMD和BMC。矿化程度以及形态最终可能有助于评估斑块稳定性。
