Study on the assessment of carotid plaque stability by Ktrans of dynamic contrast material-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging in elderly patients treated with statin / 中华老年医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the efficacy of statin on carotid plaque stability in elderly patients assessed by K trans (the combination of E and F) of dynamic contrast material enhanced (DCE) magnetic resonance (DCE MR) imaging.Methods 37 elderly patients with carotid artery of low echo or mixed echo plaque in carotid artery patches were screened by B type ultrasound.According to the standard of 2011 ESC/EAS guidelines,all patients were divided into two groupsnormal level of LDL-C group achieving LDL-C target and high level of LDL C group not achieving target of LDLC.Plaque area and size of lipid-rich necrotic core were measured by 3.0T enhancement magnetic resonance,and K trans was measured by DCE-MR dynamic contrast material enhanced (DCE) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging.and serum hs-C-reactive protein level was detected within 1 week.Results Plaque area,size of lipid-rich necrotic core,ratio of lipoid core over plaque area,K trans and serum level of hs-CRP were less in normal LDL-C level group than in high LDL-C level group [(2.06±0.45) mm2 vs.(3.63±0.62) mm2,(0.52±0.05) mm2 vs.(1.49±0.01) mm2,2 cases (11.8％) vs.14 cases (70.0％),(0.041±0.009) min1 vs.(0.079±0.011) min-1,(1.60±0.27) mmol/L vs.(2.80 ± 0.34),all P＜0.05].Linear regression analysis revealed that there was no significant correlations of K trans with the size of lipid necrotic core (r=0.19,P＞0.05) and hs-CRP (r=0.23,P＞0.05).Conclusions Dynamic contrast material enhanced (DCE) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is a quantitative method assaying atheromatous plaque components; K trans may be a new indicator to measure the stability of plaques; Statin can stabilize plaques through inhibiting the proliferation of Vasa vasorum in plaque angiogenesis,anti-inflammatory and reducing the size of lipidrich necrotic core.