Perivascular Fat Density and Contrast Plaque Enhancement: Does a Correlation Exist?

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular imaging and diagnostics
• Vascular inflammation and atherosclerosis research

Background:

• Inflammatory changes in perivascular fat are linked to coronary artery disease and vulnerable plaques.
• Vulnerable carotid plaque poses a significant risk for cerebrovascular events.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the correlation between perivascular fat density and contrast plaque enhancement on CT angiography (CTA) as a marker of vulnerable carotid plaque.
• To determine if this correlation differs between symptomatic and asymptomatic patients.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 100 patients undergoing CTA for carotid artery stenosis.
• Measurement of contrast plaque enhancement and perivascular fat density in 100 carotid arteries.
• Statistical analysis including Pearson correlation and Fisher r-to-z transformation to compare symptomatic and asymptomatic groups.

Main Results:

• A significant positive correlation was found between perivascular fat density and contrast plaque enhancement (ρ = 0.6582, P = .001).
• This correlation was notably stronger in symptomatic patients (ρ = 0.7052, P = .001) compared to asymptomatic patients (ρ = 0.4092, P = .001).

Conclusions:

• Perivascular fat density is positively associated with contrast plaque enhancement on CTA.
• Perivascular fat density may serve as an indirect imaging biomarker for carotid plaque instability.
• The association is more pronounced in patients with cerebrovascular symptoms, highlighting its clinical relevance.