An integrated automated analysis method for quantifying vessel stenosis and plaque burden from carotid MRI images: combined postprocessing of MRA and vessel wall MR.
OBJECTIVE
We report the evaluation of a semiautomated method for in vivo assessment of the severity of carotid atherosclerosis with minimal user interaction that combines 3-dimensional contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (CE-MRA) and vessel wall magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).


METHODS
Lumen and outer-wall contours were automatically detected, and stenosis and plaque burden were estimated. The method was tested on 22 subjects (352 postcontrast, T1-weighted cross sections and 3-dimensional CE-MRA).


RESULTS
We observed good correlation with expert contours: lumen and outer-wall area (r=0.96) and the degree of stenosis (r=0.97).


CONCLUSIONS
The fusion of MRA and MRI reduces user interaction and improves contour detection, providing reproducible parameters to assess the severity of atherosclerosis.
Adame
Isabel M
IM
Division of Image Processing, Department of Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, PO Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands. I.M.Adame@lumc.nl
de Koning
Patrick J H
PJ
Lelieveldt
Boudewijn P F
BP
Wasserman
Bruce A
BA
Reiber
Johan H C
JH
van der Geest
Rob J
RJ
D000368:Aged; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000592:standards; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012720:Severity of Illness Index