title: High-resolution MR imaging of the cervical arterial wall: what the radiologist needs to know.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: 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
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Oppenheim
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Naggara
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Touzé
authors.forename: Jean-Christophe
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Lacour
authors.forename: Emmanuelle
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schmitt
authors.forename: Fabrice
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bonneville
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Crozier
authors.forename: Evelyne
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Guégan-Massardier
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gerardin
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Leclerc
authors.forename: Jean-Philippe
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Neau
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sirol
authors.forename: Jean-François
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Toussaint
authors.forename: Jean-Louis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Mas
authors.forename: Jean-François
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Méder
mesh_terms: 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*