title: Optimization of T1-weighted Imaging Parameters in MR Carotid Plaque Imaging: Influence for the Quantitative Evaluation among Different MRI Scanner Types.
abstract: Carotid artery plaques with high-signal intensity on T1weighted image (T1WI) are known to cause cerebral ischemic disease. Signal intensity ratio (SIR), which is calculated from T1WI in the quantitative evaluation of plaque characterization have been used. However, the various sequences in T1WI and difference in the sequences were utilized among institutions. Therefore, difference in sequence may influence SIR. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the optimization of T1WI sequence in MR carotid plaque imaging. We directly compared four kinds of T1WI imaging techniques, including inversion recovery (IR)-3 dimensional (3D) gradient echo (GRE), 3D fast spin echo (FSE), 2 dimensional (2D) FSE, 2D spin echo (SE), among different magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner. As a result, the 2D SE method had the smallest difference in SIR. Even if 2D SE T1WI uses a different MRI device, equal SIR is provided. Therefore, 2D SE is appropriate to evaluate the characteristics of carotid plaque.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Kawasaki Saiwai Hospital.
authors.forename: Takanori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Naka
authors.forename: Mitsuyuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Koutarou
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takeda
authors.forename: Tarou
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Igarashi
authors.forename: Tetsukazu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hondera
mesh_terms: D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*