3.0T High-resolution Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study Of The Relationship Between Cerebral Artery Atherosclerotic Plaque And Cerebral Infarction

Objective:To investigate the correlation between the distribution of middle cerebral artery(MCA)atherosclerotic plaques and acute infraction using a 3.0T high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging.Methods:Thirty-three consecutive symptomatic patients with atherosclerotic MCA stenosis were imaged with a 3.0T magnetic resonance scanner.The HRMRI protocol included T1-weighted,T2-weighted,proton density weighted black blood imaging.The patients were divided into acute infarction group and non-acute infarction group,according to hyperintense on DWI in distribution of stenotic MCA or not.The locations of plaques were classified into ventral wall?.inferior wall?dorsal wall?superior wall.Then,analyses the relationship between plaques location and acute infarction.Results:33 cases were enrolled.14 plaques were located at the ventral wall,7 at the inferior wall,4 at the dorsal wall,4 at the superior wall,and 4 with lumen occlusion.The acute infarction in corresponding place were 2?2?3?4.The plaques located at dorsal or superior wall were more susceptible to acute infarction(P=0.001).Conclusion:Middle cerebral artery atherosclerotic plaques have certain tendency to locate at ventral and inferior wall,but plaques at dorsal or superior wall were more susceptible to acute infarction.Objective:The aim of this study was to explain the relationship between the remodeling patterns and acute ischemic stroke in patients with atherosclerotic middle cerebral artery(MCA)stenosis using HRMRI.Methods:From August 2015 to April 2016,Thirty-three consecutive patients with atherosclerotic MCA stenosis were imaged with a 3.0T MR scanner.The high-resolution MRI(HRMRI)protocol included black blood T2-weighted imaging,porton density-weighted imaging(PDWI).The vessel area(VA),lumen area(LA),plaque area(PA)and remodeling index(RI),NIHSS score were calculated.Then,the difference between the acute infarction group and the non-acute infarction group as well as the PR group and the non-PR group was compared.Results:15 cases belonged to the acute infarction group,18 cases belonged to the non-acute infarction group.Compared with the non-acute infarction group,the acute infarction group has greater RI[(1.07±0.09)VS(0.94±0.08),P<0.001],PA[(4.76±2.00)mm2VS(2.33±1.32)mm2,P<0.001],WA[(13.84±3.05)mm2 VS(11.79±2.44)mm2,P=0.04],NIHSS score[(4.87±2.88)VS(1.44±3.07),P=0.003].The positive remodeling(PR)was common in the acute infarction group,while the non-acute infarction group were dominated by negative remodeling.The difference had statistical significance(P=0.002).In addition,more PR patients were observed in symptomatic group.The PR group had larger plaque area(P=0.014)and NIHSS score(P=0.037)than the non-PR group.Conclusion:The acute infarction patients have larger RI?plaque burden than non-acute infarction patients.The PR is an unsafe remodeling way and is prone to cause acute ischemic stroke.HRMRI has emerged as a promising tool to to detect the characteristics of intracranial arteries wall and reveal the relationship between remodeling patterns and ischemic stroke.Purpose To investigate the correlation between enhancement of middle cerebral artery(MCA)atherosclerotic plaques and cerebral infarction using high resolution magnetic resonance(HRMRI).Methods Thirty-four consecutive patients with atherosclerotic MCA stenosis were imaged with a 3.0T MR scanner.The HRMRI protocol included black blood T1-weighted imaging?T2-weighted imaging?contrast enhancement T1WI.The patients with hyperintense on Diffusion-weighted imaging(DWI)were classified into acute infarction group;the others without hyperintense on DWI were enrolled in the non-acute infarction group.The degree of plaques enhancement was divided into obvious enhancement?mild enhancement?no enhancement.Then,the difference between acute infarction group and non-acute infarction group was compared.Result Acute infarction group had 15cases,11 cases in obvious enhancement?1 cases in mild enhancement?3cases in no enhancement;non-acute infarction group had 18 cases?1 cases in obvious enhancement?4 cases in mild enhancement?13 cases in no enhancement.The degree of plaques enhancement between two groups had statistical difference.The acute infarction group had more obvious enhancement plaques(P=0.000)?and less no enhancement plaques(P=0.005).Conclusion HRMRI could qualitatively assess enhancement of MCA atherosclerotic plaques,obvious enhancement plaques were more common in acute infarction group,indicating it?s instability.