title: Assessment of Carotid Plaque Inflammation in Diabetic and Nondiabetic Patients-An Exploratory Ultrasmall Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide-Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide (USPIO)-enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) imaging enables the identification of inflammation within the atheroma, predominantly by USPIO uptake by macrophages present in atherosclerotic tissue. Diabetic patients, however, may have dysfunctional macrophage activity, which may affect utilization of USPIO in identifying plaque inflammation in this patient cohort.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifteen diabetic and fifteen nondiabetic patients underwent USPIO-enhanced carotid MR imaging using 1.5T MR system. Pre- and post-USPIO carotid MR images were manually coregistered. The percentage decrease in the signal intensity after USPIO administration was calculated as a relative measure of the USPIO uptake.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Diabetic and nondiabetic patients had comparable demographics and comorbidities. The mean global, maximum quadrant, and maximum slice changes showing change in relative signal intensity as a result of USPIO administration were comparable for the two patient cohorts (P > .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  USPIO can identify inflammatory burden with carotid atheroma in both diabetic and nondiabetic patients.
authors.affiliation: University Department of Radiology, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, United Kingdom. Electronic address: au239@cam.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Ammara
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Usman
authors.affiliation: University Department of Radiology, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Patterson
authors.affiliation: Cambridge Vascular Unit, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Umar
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Sadat
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Changi General Hospital, Singapore.
authors.forename: Tjun Y
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: University Department of Radiology, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Martin J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Graves
authors.affiliation: University Department of Radiology, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Jonathan H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Gillard
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology*; D003911:Dextrans / Q000378:metabolism*; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007249:Inflammation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology*; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D003911:Dextrans; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles; C097921:ferumoxtran-10
keywords: Atherosclerosis; MRI; USPIO; carotid; nanoparticles