Woo Jin Lee MD, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Bomi Gil, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Eu Hyun Kim MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Jin Hee Jang MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Hyun Seok Choi MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

So Lyung Jung, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Kookjin Ahn MD, PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Bum-Soo Kim MD, PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Intracranial atherosclerosis is one of the causes of stroke. Because MR angiography cannot demonstrate vessel wall, vessel wall imaging is important to detect vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque. We hypothesized T1-WI 3D-TSE with black-blood preparation (T1-SPACE) can be useful to evaluate intracranial arterial wall. The goal of this study was to evaluate feasibility of T1-SPACE to detect intracranial atherosclerosis in nonsymptomatic and stroke patient.

From September 2012 to November 2013, eighteen non-symptomatic and twenty two acute stroke patients who underwent both TOF and T1 SPACE using 3.0 Tesla MR System were enrolled. Patients with underlying malignancy, moyamoya disease, vasculitis, other systemic disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis were excluded. Outer margin of intracranial arterial wall was assessed on T1-SPACE, and inner margin was assessed on TOF source image (TOF-SI). After co-registration of T1-SPACE and TOF-SI, luminal area (LA) of basilar artery (BA) and cavernous segment of both distal internal cerebral arteries (ICA) were measured on T1-SPACE and TOF-SI respectively. Vessel wall thickness was measured by subtracting measurement of TOF-SI from measurement of T1-SPACE at following locations: BA, both supraclinoid ICAs and M1 segment of both middle cerebral arteries. Burden index (BI) is defined as the sum of measured wall thickness of five intracranial arteries.  

Correlation of LA from TOF-SI and T1-SPACE shows significant correlation in both groups (P<0.001). Correlation coefficient was as higher in non-symptomatic patients (0.909) than that of stroke patients (0.762). The LA of T1-SPACE was significantly higher in stroke patients than control group (P=0.006). However, LA of TOF was not significantly different between two groups (P=0.143). The BI (7.7±2.3 mm2) of stroke patents were significantly higher than that (3.1±1.1mm2) of non-symptomatic patients (P=0.012).

The LA of T1-SPACE was higher in stroke patients than normal control group. Thickness of intracranial arterial wall of stroke patients was significantly higher than that of control group. 

It is feasible to assess the degree of atherosclerosis of intracranial arteries using T1-SPACE and TOF source images. The result showed significant differences of intracranial wall thickness between stroke patients and control group. 

Lee, W, Gil, B, Kim, E, Jang, J, Choi, H, Jung, S, Ahn, K, Kim, B, Feasibility of T1-WI 3D-TSE to Assess Atherosclerosis in Stroke Patients .  Radiological Society of North America 2014 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, - ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2014/14010227.html