title: Carotid and cerebrovascular disease in symptomatic patients with type 2 diabetes: assessment of prevalence and plaque morphology by dual-source computed tomography angiography.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Plaque morphology directly correlates with risk of embolism and the recently developed dual-source computed tomography angiography (DSCTA) may help to detect plaques more precisely. The aim of our study was to evaluate the prevalence and morphology of carotid and cerebrovascular atherosclerotic plaques in patients with symptomatic type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) by DSCTA.
  
  
  METHODS
  From July 2009 to August 2010, DSCTA was prospectively performed in 125 consecutive patients with symptomatic type 2 DM. We retrospectively analyzed plaque type, distribution, and extensive and obstructive natures were determined for each segment for all patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Atherosclerotic plaques were detected in 114 (91.2%) patients. Relatively more noncalcified (45%) and calcified (39%) plaques and less mixed (16%) plaques were observed (p < 0.001). Noncalcified plaques were found mainly in the intracranial arteries (81.8%), mixed plaques in the intracranial arteries (25.2%) and intracranial internal carotid artery (ICA) (56.1%). Calcified plaques were found mainly in the intracranial ICA (65.9%) and extracranial arteries (28.2%) (for all, p < 0.001). Extension of plaques from the 1(st) to 5(th) segments was observed in 67 (58.8%) patients and from the 6(th) to 10(th) segments in 35 (30.7%) patients. The most common site of all detected plaques was the cavernous segment. Regarding stenosis, there were significantly more nonobstructive than obstructive stenosis (91% vs. 9%, p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DSCTA detected a high prevalence of plaques in patients with symptomatic type 2 DM. A relatively high proportion of plaques were noncalcified, as well as with nonobstructive stenosis. The distribution of plaques was extensive, with the cavernous portion of ICA being the most common site.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, PR China.
authors.forename: Ci
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Zhi-Gang
authors.initials: ZG
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Zhi-Gang
authors.initials: ZG
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Zhi-Hui
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Heng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Li-Qing
authors.initials: LQ
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Si-Shi
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Jia-He
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Xiao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D002533:Cerebral Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D002537:Intracranial Arteriosclerosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed