High-resolution MR imaging of the cervical arterial wall: what the radiologist needs to know.
The emergence of high-resolution rapid imaging methods has enabled magnetic resonance (MR) imagers to noninvasively image the fine internal structure of cervical arterial walls. In this article, a comprehensive guide to performing high-resolution MR imaging of cervical arteries is provided, including the choice of coils, sequences, and imaging parameters, as well as tips for optimal image quality. Explanations and illustrations are given of using high-resolution MR imaging to quantify plaque volume, determine atherosclerotic plaque burden, depict plaque composition, and ultimately identify unstable plaque before it leads to a clinical event. Finally, the role of high-resolution MR imaging in the diagnosis of cervical dissection and inflammatory disease of the arterial wall is emphasized.
Oppenheim
Catherine
C
Department of Imaging, Université Paris Descartes, EA 4055, Centre Hospitalier Sainte-Anne, 1, Rue Cabanis, 75674 Paris Cedex 14, France. c.oppenheim@ch-sainte-anne.fr
Naggara
Olivier
O
Touzé
Emmanuel
E
Lacour
Jean-Christophe
JC
Schmitt
Emmanuelle
E
Bonneville
Fabrice
F
Crozier
Sophie
S
Guégan-Massardier
Evelyne
E
Gerardin
Emmanuel
E
Leclerc
Xavier
X
Neau
Jean-Philippe
JP
Sirol
Marc
M
Toussaint
Jean-François
JF
Mas
Jean-Louis
JL
Méder
Jean-François
JF
D000784:Aortic Dissection / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001167:Arteritis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000473:pathology*; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000379:methods*