Vessel wall and adventitial DCE-MRI parameters demonstrate similar correlations with carotid plaque microvasculature on histology.
To assess parameter agreement of volume transfer coefficient (Ktrans) between two vascular regions and to study the correlation with microvessel density on histology. The dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) parameter Ktransis frequently used to study atherosclerotic plaque microvasculature. Ktranshas been reported using different descriptive statistics (mean, median, 75thpercentile) either for the whole vessel wall or the adventitia in previous studies.



DCE-MRI parameter agreement was analyzed in 110 symptomatic patients with ≥2 mm carotid plaque that underwent a 3T carotid DCE-MRI examination. Ktranswas estimated in the entire vessel wall and adventitia. Twenty-three patients underwent carotid endarterectomy and were used for comparison with histological quantification of microvessel density of the plaque using CD31 immunohistochemistry. DCE-MRI parameters in the vessel wall regions were compared using Pearson's correlation coefficient, Bland-Altman analysis, and a two-sided paired samples t-test. Correlation of the DCE-MRI parameters with histology was studied using the Pearson's correlation coefficient.



Median adventitial Ktranswas 5% higher (P = 0.003) than entire vessel wall Ktrans, with no differences for other descriptive statistics. Vessel wall and adventitial Ktransshowed similar moderately strong correlations with plaque microvessel density on histology (Pearson's ρ: 0.59-0.65 [P < 0.003] and 0.52-0.64 [P < 0.011], respectively).



The similar moderately strong correlations for vessel wall and adventitial Ktranswith microvessel density on histology suggested that both regions reflected plaque microvessel density. Care should to be taken when comparing absolute values between studies. Future studies incorporating thresholds for risk stratification need to agree upon standardization of DCE-MRI parameters.



2 Technical Efficacy: Stage 2 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2017;46:1053-1059.
Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands.|CARIM School for Cardiovascular Diseases, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Raf H M
RHM
van Hoof
Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands.|CARIM School for Cardiovascular Diseases, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Stefan A
SA
Vöö
CARIM School for Cardiovascular Diseases, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.|Department of Pathology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Judith C
JC
Sluimer
Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Nicky J A
NJA
Wijnen
Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands.|CARIM School for Cardiovascular Diseases, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Evelien
E
Hermeling
Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands.|CARIM School for Cardiovascular Diseases, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.|Department of Neurology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands.|Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Floris H B M
FHBM
Schreuder
Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands.|CARIM School for Cardiovascular Diseases, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.|Department of Neurology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands.|Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Martine T B
MTB
Truijman
CARIM School for Cardiovascular Diseases, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.|Department of Pathology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Jack P M
JPM
Cleutjens
Department of Pathology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Mat J A P
MJAP
Daemen
Department of General Surgery, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Jan-Willem H
JH
Daemen
CARIM School for Cardiovascular Diseases, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.|Department of Neurology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Robert J
RJ
van Oostenbrugge
CARIM School for Cardiovascular Diseases, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.|Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Werner H
WH
Mess
Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands.|CARIM School for Cardiovascular Diseases, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Joachim E
JE
Wildberger
CARIM School for Cardiovascular Diseases, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.|Department of Pathology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Sylvia
S
Heeneman
Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands.|CARIM School for Cardiovascular Diseases, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
M Eline
ME
Kooi
D000368:Aged; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D055806:Microvessels / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011446:Prospective Studies
D003287:Contrast Media
DCE-MRI; atherosclerosis; carotid artery; histology; magnetic resonance imaging; microvasculature