Department of Radiology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, #28 Fuxing Road, 100853, Beijing, China.
Int J Cardiovasc Imaging. 2010 Feb;26 Suppl 1:143-50. doi: 10.1007/s10554-009-9578-3. Epub 2010 Jan 6.
In this study, we have aimed to evaluate the relationship between the shape and location of superficial calcification and the presence of fibrous cap rupture and intraplaque hemorrhage in atherosclerotic carotid plaque. Sixty-three patients with carotid stenosis underwent contrast-enhanced high resolution MR examinations with a 3-T MR scanner and 226 slices with superficial calcification were evaluated in the study. The shape of superficial calcification was categorized as the irregular type (dotted/arcuated) and patchy type and the location of superficial calcification was categorized as the marginal type and central type. Intraplaque hemorrhage and fibrous cap rupture depicted on the same slice as superficial calcification were identified. The chi-squared test was used for statistical analysis. A total of 149 slices (65.9%) with intraplaque hemorrhage and 107 slices(47.3%)with fibrous cap rupture were detected. There were 191 slices with irregular type (dotted/arcuated) calcification and 166 slices with marginal type calcification. Irregular superficial calcification was found more frequently accompanied with intraplaque hemorrhage as compared to the patchy type (73.8 vs. 22.9%, P < 0.0001); there was a significant difference between the marginal type and the central type for the accompaniment of intraplaque hemorrhage (72.9 vs. 46.7%, P < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference between different shapes and locations of superficial calcification that accompanied with fibrous cap rupture (P > 0.05). This study showed that superficial calcification is an important factor for determination of instability of atherosclerotic carotid plaque. The shape and location of superficial calcification are important features associated with the occurrence of intraplaque hemorrhage.
在这项研究中，我们旨在评估颈动脉粥样硬化斑块表面钙化的形状和位置与纤维帽破裂和斑块内出血之间的关系。63 名颈动脉狭窄患者接受了 3TMR 扫描仪的对比增强高分辨率 MR 检查，共评估了 226 个有表面钙化的切片。将表面钙化的形状分为不规则型（点状/弧形）和斑片状，位置分为边缘型和中央型。在与表面钙化同一切片上识别斑块内出血和纤维帽破裂。采用卡方检验进行统计学分析。共检测到 149 个有斑块内出血的切片（65.9%）和 107 个有纤维帽破裂的切片（47.3%）。有 191 个切片为不规则型（点状/弧形）钙化，166 个切片为边缘型钙化。与斑片状钙化相比，不规则表面钙化更常伴有斑块内出血（73.8%比 22.9%，P<0.0001）；边缘型钙化与中央型钙化在伴有斑块内出血方面存在显著差异（72.9%比 46.7%，P<0.05）。然而，不同形状和位置的表面钙化伴有纤维帽破裂之间没有显著差异（P>0.05）。这项研究表明，表面钙化是确定颈动脉粥样硬化斑块不稳定性的一个重要因素。表面钙化的形状和位置是与斑块内出血发生相关的重要特征。
