HIGH-RESOLUTION CONTRAST-ENHANCED MRI IN DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS OF TYPE OF CAROTID PLAQUE AND IT'S RELATIONSHIP TO THE ISCHEMIC BRAIN DAMAGE

Aim of the study. We have compared in patients with carotid atherosclerosis the patterns of contrast enhancement of atherosclerotic plaque with presence of cerebral stroke, by using of high-resolution contrast-enhanced carotid MRI.
Material and methods. The patients 'population comprised 26 persons with either monolateral (14 pts) or bilateral (12 pts) stenosis of internal carotid artery for over 70% of lumen. In 15 (10-monolateral, 5 bilateral stenosis) there was recent stroke in acute or subacute stage, whereas 11 were symptom-free. In everybody contrast-enhanced study of atherosclerotic plaque was carried out with T1-w high-resolution MRI (paramagnetic as 2 ml of 0.5 mol solution per 10 kg of BW).
Results and discussion. In control persons there was a mild increase in T1-w intensity of arterial wall of carotids? With IE not more than 1.08. In patients without stroke there was moderate increase in plaque T-1w intensity up to 1.14 ± 0.07. In ishaemic stroke patients there was significant rise in intensity of T1-w of homolateral plaque (IE = 1.35 ± 0.06), and also of T1-w of arterial wall as whole (IE = 1.19 ± 0.05).
Conclusion. Further detailed study of high-resolution MRI of carotids is worth in order to obtain better imaging of atherosclerotic lesions and also better evaluation of risk of stroke in patients suitable for carotid endarterectomy.

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