Trivedi Rikin A, Mallawarachi Chinthake, U-King-Im Jean-Marie, Graves Martin J, Horsley Jo, Goddard Martin J, Brown Andrew, Wang Liqun, Kirkpatrick Peter J, Brown John, Gillard Jonathan H
University Department of Radiology, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, UK.
Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2006 Jul;26(7):1601-6. doi: 10.1161/01.ATV.0000222920.59760.df. Epub 2006 Apr 20.
Inflammation within atherosclerotic lesions contributes to plaque instability and vulnerability to rupture. We set out to evaluate the use of a macrophage labeling agent to identify carotid plaque inflammation by in vivo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Thirty patients with symptomatic severe carotid stenosis scheduled for carotid endarterectomy underwent multi-sequence MRI of the carotid bifurcation before and after injection of ultrasmall superparamagnetic particles of iron oxide (USPIOs). USPIO particles accumulated in macrophages in 24 of 30 plaques (80%). Areas of signal intensity reduction, corresponding to USPIO/macrophage-positive histological sections, were visualized in 24 of 27 (89%) patients, with an average reduction in signal intensity induced by the USPIO particles of 24% (range, 3.1% to 60.8%).
USPIO-enhanced MRI can identify plaque inflammation in vivo by accumulation of USPIO within macrophages in carotid plaques.
动脉粥样硬化病变内的炎症会导致斑块不稳定和易于破裂。我们着手评估使用巨噬细胞标记剂通过体内磁共振成像（MRI）来识别颈动脉斑块炎症。
30例计划行颈动脉内膜切除术的有症状重度颈动脉狭窄患者在注射超小超顺磁性氧化铁颗粒（USPIO）前后接受了颈动脉分叉处的多序列MRI检查。30个斑块中有24个（80%）的USPIO颗粒在巨噬细胞中积聚。在27例患者中的24例（89%）中观察到了与USPIO/巨噬细胞阳性组织学切片相对应的信号强度降低区域，USPIO颗粒引起的信号强度平均降低了24%（范围为3.1%至60.8%）。
USPIO增强MRI可通过USPIO在颈动脉斑块巨噬细胞内积聚在体内识别斑块炎症。
