title: Magnetic resonance imaging and three-dimensional ultrasound of carotid atherosclerosis: mapping regional differences.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate differences in carotid atherosclerosis measured using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and three-dimensional ultrasound (3DUS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten subject volunteers underwent carotid 3DUS and MRI (multislice black blood fast spin echo, T1-weighted contrast, double inversion recovery, 0.5 mm in-plane resolution, 2 mm slice, 3.0 T) within 1 hour. 3DUS and MR images were manually segmented by two observers providing vessel wall and lumen contours for quantification of vessel wall volume (VWV) and generation of carotid thickness maps.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MRI VWV (1040 +/- 210 mm(3)) and 3DUS VWV (540 +/- 110 mm(3)) were significantly different (P < 0.0001). When normalized for the estimated adventitia volume, mean MRI VWV decreased 240 +/- 50 mm(3) and was significantly different from 3DUS VWV (P < 0.001). Two-dimensional carotid maps showed qualitative evidence of regional differences in the plaque and vessel wall thickness between MR and 3DUS in all subjects. Power Doppler US confirmed that heterogeneity in the common carotid artery in all patients resulted from apparent flow disturbances, not atherosclerotic plaque.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MRI and 3DUS VWV were significantly different and carotid maps showed homogeneous thickness differences and heterogeneity in specific regions of interest identified as MR flow artifacts in the common carotid artery.
authors.affiliation: Imaging Research Laboratories, Robarts Research Institute, London, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Krasinski
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.forename: Aaron
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fenster
authors.forename: Grace
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Parraga
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D014463:Ultrasonography