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Carotid Plaque Evaluation Using Gemstone Spectral Imaging: Comparison with Magnetic Resonance Angiography
Yuki Shinohara1, Makoto Sakamoto2, Keita Kuya1
1Division of Radiology, Department of Pathophysiological and Therapeutic Science, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, Yonago, Japan.
Background:
The present study compared the applicability of computed tomography carotid plaque imaging using effective Z maps with gemstone spectral imaging (GSI) to that of magnetic resonance plaque imaging using 3-dimensional time-of-flight magnetic resonance angiography.
Methods:
Stenosis was assessed in 18 carotid arteries of 14 patients, and the effective Z values of noncalcified carotid plaques were compared with the signal intensities of magnetic resonance angiography.
Results:
It was found that the effective Z value of noncalcified carotid plaques was significantly lower for a group with high signal intensity than for a group with low signal intensity on magnetic resonance angiography (P <.001). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of effective Z values was .975, and the presumed cutoff effective Z value required to discriminate low and high intensity plaques on magnetic resonance angiography was 7.83.
Conclusions:
The effective Z value generated by GSI is a useful parameter to detect vulnerable carotid plaque materials.