title: Mineral volume and morphology in carotid plaque specimens using high-resolution MRI and CT.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  High-resolution MRI methods have been used to evaluate carotid artery atherosclerotic plaque content. The purpose of this study was to assess the performance of high-resolution MRI in evaluation of the quantity and pattern of mineral deposition in carotid endarterectomy (CEA) specimens, with quantitative micro-CT as the gold standard.
  
  
  RESULTS
  High-resolution MRI and CT were compared in 20 CEA specimens. Linear regression comparing mineral volumes generated from CT (VCT) and MRI (VMRI) data demonstrated good correlation using simple thresholding (VMRI=-0.01+0.98VCT; R2=0.90; threshold=4xnoise) and k-means clustering methods (VMRI=-0.005+1.38VCT; R2=0.93). Bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC [mineral mass]) were calculated for CT data and BMC verified with ash weight. Patterns of mineralization like particles, granules, and sheets were more clearly depicted on CT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mineral volumes generated from MRI or CT data were highly correlated. CT provided a more detailed depiction of mineralization patterns and provided BMD and BMC in addition to mineral volume. The extent of mineralization as well as the morphology may ultimately be useful in assessing plaque stability.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, 3400 Spruce St, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. Ronald.Wolf@uphs.upenn.edu
authors.forename: Ronald L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Wolf
authors.forename: Suzanne L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Wehrli
authors.forename: Andra M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Popescu
authors.forename: John H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Woo
authors.forename: Hee Kwon
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Alexander C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.forename: Emile R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Mohler
authors.forename: John D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Harding
authors.forename: Eric L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Zager
authors.forename: Ronald M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Fairman
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Golden
authors.forename: Omaida C
authors.initials: OC
authors.lastname: Velazquez
authors.forename: Jeffrey P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Carpenter
authors.forename: Felix W
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Wehrli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008903:Minerals / Q000378:metabolism*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards
chemical_list: D008903:Minerals