Imaging of the carotid artery vulnerable plaque

CardioVascular and Interventional Radiology

Volumn 37, Issue 3, 2014, Pages 572-585

  Saba, Luca ^a   Anzidei, Michele ^b   Marincola, Beatrice Cavallo ^b   Piga, Mario ^a   Raz, Eytan ^c   Bassareo, Pier Paolo ^a   Napoli, Alessandro ^b   Mannelli, Lorenzo ^d   Catalano, Carlo ^b   Wintermark, Max ^e  

^a DEPARTMENT OF RADIOLOGY   (Italy)

^b SAPIENZA UNIVERSITY OF ROME   (Italy)

^c NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE   (United States)

^d UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON SCHOOL OF MEDICINE   (United States)

^e UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA   (United States)

Author keywords

Carotid artery; CTA; MRA; US ECD; Vulnerable plaque

Indexed keywords

BRAIN HEMORRHAGE; CAROTID ARTERY DISEASE; CAROTID ARTERY VULNERABLE PLAQUE; CAROTID ATHEROSCLEROSIS; COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHIC ANGIOGRAPHY; CONTRAST ENHANCEMENT; HUMAN; INTRAPLAQUE HEMORRHAGE; NEOVASCULARIZATION (PATHOLOGY); NEUROIMAGING; NUCLEAR MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING; PRIORITY JOURNAL; REVIEW; ARTERIOSCLEROSIS; CAROTID ARTERY DISEASES; DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING; PATHOLOGY;

ARTERIOSCLEROSIS; CAROTID ARTERY DISEASES; DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING; HUMANS;

EID: 84901651036     PISSN: 01741551     EISSN: 1432086X     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1007/s00270-013-0711-2     Document Type: Review

References (112)

1. Li R, Duncan BB, Metcalf PA, Crouse JR 3rd, Sharrett AR, Tyroler HA, Barnes R, Heiss G (1994) B-mode-detected carotid artery plaque in a general population. Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study investigators. Stroke 25(12):2377-2383
2. Salem MK, Sayers RD, Bown MJ, West K, Moore D, Robinson TG, Naylor AR (2013) Features of unstable carotid plaque during and after the hyperacute period following TIA/stroke. Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg 45(2):114-120
3. Naghavi M, Libby P, Falk E et al (2003) From vulnerable plaque to vulnerable patient: a call for new definitions and risk assessment strategies: part I. Circulation 108:1664-1672 (Pubitemid 37243650)
4. Saba L, Anzidei M, Sanfilippo R, Montisci R, Lucatelli P, Catalano C, Passariello R, Mallarini G (2012) Imaging of the carotid artery. Atherosclerosis 220(2):294-309
5. Schwarz F, Bayer-Karpinska A, Poppert H, Buchholz M, Cyran C, Grimm J, Helck A, Nikolaou K, Opherk C, Dichgans M, Saam T (2013) Serial carotid MRI identifies rupture of a vulnerable plaque resulting in amaurosis fugax. Neurology 80(12):1171-1172
6. Saba L, Sanfilippo R, Sannia S, Anzidei M, Montisci R, Mallarini G, Suri JS (2012) Association between carotid artery plaque volume, composition, and ulceration: a retrospective assessment with MDCT. AJR Am J Roentgenol 199(1):151-156
7. Ambrose JA, Tannenbaum MA, Alexopoulos D (1988) Angiographic progression of coronary artery disease and the development of myocardial infarction. J Am Coll Cardiol 12:56-62
8. Libby P (1998) The interface of atherosclerosis and thrombosis: basic mechanisms. Vasc Med 3:225-229
9. Lovett JK, Gallagher PJ, Rothwell PM (2004) Reproducibility of histological assessment of carotid plaque: implications for studies of carotid imaging. Cerebrovasc Dis 18:117-123 (Pubitemid 39077846)
10. Wasserman BA, Wityk RJ, Trout HH, Virmani R (2005) Looking beyond the lumen with MRI. Stroke 36:2504-2513
11. Lovett JK, Gallagher PJ, Hands LJ, Walton J, Rothwell PM (2004) Histological correlates of carotid plaque surface morphology on lumen contrast imaging. Circulation 110:2190-2197 (Pubitemid 39372500)
12. Kullo IJ, Edwards WD, Schwartz RS (1998) Vulnerable plaque: pathobiology and clinical implications. Ann Intern Med 129:1050-1060 (Pubitemid 29005830)
13. Budinger T, Berson A, McVeigh E et al (1999) Magnetic resonance imaging of the cardiovascular system. J Cardiovasc Magn Res 1:53-58
14. Falk E, Fernandez-Ortiz A (1995) Role of thrombosis in atherosclerosis and its complications. Am J Cardiol 75:3B-11B
15. van Gils MJ, Vukadinovic D, van Dijk AC, Dippel DW, Niessen WJ, van der Lugt A (2012) Carotid atherosclerotic plaque progression and change in plaque composition over time: a 5-year follow-up study using serial CT angiography. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 33(7):1267-12673
16. Yoshida K, Sadamasa N, Narumi O, Chin M, Yamagata S, Miyamoto S (2012) Symptomatic low-grade carotid stenosis with intraplaque hemorrhage and expansive arterial remodeling is associated with a high relapse rate refractory to medical treatment. Neurosurgery 70(5):1143-1150
17. Mauriello A, Servadei F, Sangiorgi G, Anemona L, Giacobbi E, Liotti D, Spagnoli LG (2011) Asymptomatic carotid plaque rupture with unexpected thrombosis over a non-canonical vulnerable lesion. Atherosclerosis 218(2):356-362
18. Nandalur KR, Hardie AD, Raghavan P, Schipper MJ, Baskurt E, Kramer CM (2007) Composition of the stable carotid plaque. Insights from a multidetector computed tomography study of plaque volume. Stroke 38:935-940 (Pubitemid 46603540)
19. Howard DP, van Lammeren GW, Redgrave JN, Moll FL, de Vries JP, de Kleijn DP, de Borst GJ, Pasterkamp G, Rothwell PM (2013) Histological features of carotid plaque in patients with ocular ischemia versus cerebral events. Stroke 44(3):734-739
20. Saba L, Potters F, van der Lugt A, Mallarini G (2010) Imaging of the fibrous cap in atherosclerotic carotid plaque. Cardiovasc Intervent Radiol 33(4):681-689
21. Virmani R, Burke AP, Kolodgie FD, Farb A (2003) Pathology of the thin-cap fibroatheroma: a type of vulnerable plaque. J Interv Cardiol 16(3):267-272 (Pubitemid 36667908)
22. Saba L, Caddeo G, Sanfilippo R, Montisci R, Mallarini G (2007) CT and ultrasound in the study of ulcerated carotid plaque compared with surgical results: potentialities and advantages of multidetector row CT angiography. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 28(6):1061-1066 (Pubitemid 46984542)
23. Wasserman BA, Smith WI, Trout HH III, Cannon RO 3rd, Balaban RS, Arai AE (2002) Carotid artery atherosclerosis: in vivo morphologic characterization with gadolinium enhanced double-oblique MR imaging-initial results. Radiology 223:566-573 (Pubitemid 34454344)
24. Eliasziw M, Streifler JY, Fox AJ (1994) Significance of plaque ulceration in symptomatic patients with high grade carotid stenosis: North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial. Stroke 25:304-308 (Pubitemid 24047250)
25. Barnett HJ, Taylor DW, Eliasziw M, Fox AJ, Ferguson GG, Haynes RB et al (1998) Benefit of carotid endarterectomy in patients with symptomatic moderate or severe stenosis. North American Symptomatic carotid Endarterectomy Trial Collaborators. N Engl J Med 339:1415-1425 (Pubitemid 28516064)
26. Walker LJ, Ismail Á, McMeekin W, Lambert D, Mendelow AD, Birchall D (2002) Computed tomography angiography for the evaluation of carotid atherosclerotic plaque: correlation with histopathology of endarterectomy specimens. Stroke 33:977-981 (Pubitemid 34293578)
27. Randoux B, Marro B, Koskas F (2001) Carotid artery stenosis: prospective comparison of CT, three-dimensional gadolinium-enhanced MR, and conventional angiography. Radiology 220:179-185 (Pubitemid 32577981)
28. Saba L, Caddeo G, Sanfilippo R, Montisci R, Mallarini G (2007) Efficacy and sensitivity of axial scans and different reconstruction methods in the study of the ulcerated carotid plaque by using multi-detector-row CT angiography. Comparison with surgical results. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 28:716-723 (Pubitemid 46608614)
29. van Gils MJ, Homburg PJ, Rozie S, de Weert TT, Dippel DW, van der Lugt A (2011) Evolution of atherosclerotic carotid plaque morphology: do ulcerated plaques heal? A serial multidetector CT angiography study. Cerebrovasc Dis 31(3):263-270
30. Cumming MJ, Morrow IA (1994) Carotid artery stenosis: a prospective comparison of CT angiography and conventional angiography. AJR Am J Roentgenol 163:517-523 (Pubitemid 24294353)
31. Schwartz RB, Jones KM, Chernoff DM et al (1992) Common carotid artery bifurcation: evaluation with spiral CT. Radiology 185:513-519
32. Etesami M, Hoi Y, Steinman DA, Gujar SK, Nidecker AE, Astor BC, Portanova A, Qiao Y, Abdalla WM, Wasserman BA (2013) Comparison of carotid plaque ulcer detection using contrast-enhanced and time-of-flight MRA techniques. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 34(1):177-184
33. Soloperto G, Casciaro S (2012) Progress in atherosclerotic plaque imaging. World J Radiol 4(8):353-371
34. Underhill HR, Yuan C, Yarnykh VL, Chu B, Oikawa M, Polissar NL, Schwartz SM, Jarvik GP, Hatsukami TS (2009) Arterial remodeling in [corrected] subclinical carotid artery disease. JACC Cardiovasc Imaging 2(12):1381-1389
35. Demarco JK, Ota H, Underhill HR, Zhu DC, Reeves MJ, Potchen MJ, Majid A, Collar A, Talsma JA, Potru S, Oikawa M, Dong L, Zhao X, Yarnykh VL, Yuan C (2010) MR carotid plaque imaging and contrast-enhanced MR angiography identifies lesions associated with recent ipsilateral thromboembolic symptoms: an in vivo study at 3T. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 31(8):1395-1402
36. Mitsumori LM, Hatsukami TS, Ferguson MS, Kerwin WS, Cai J, Yuan C (2003) In vivo accuracy of multisequence MR imaging for identifying unstable fibrous caps in advanced human carotid plaques. J Magn Reson Imaging 17(4):410-420 (Pubitemid 36396942)
37. Hatsukami TS, Ross R, Polissar NL, Yuan C (2000) Visualization of fibrous cap thickness and rupture in human atherosclerotic carotid plaque in vivo with high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging. Circulation 102(9):959-964 (Pubitemid 30656003)
38. Saba L, Mallarini G (2009) Fissured fibrous cap of vulnerable carotid plaques and symptomaticity: are they correlated? Preliminary results by using multi-detector-row CT angiography. Cerebrovasc Dis 27(4):322-327
39. Takaya N, Yuan C, Chu B, Saam T, Polissar NL, Jarvik GP, Isaac C, McDonough J, Natiello C, Small R, Ferguson MS, Hatsukami TS (2005) Presence of intraplaque hemorrhage stimulates progression of carotid atherosclerotic plaques: a high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging study. Circulation 111(21):2768-2775 (Pubitemid 40791548)
40. Altaf N, Daniels L, Morgan PS, Auer D, MacSweeney ST, Moody AR, Gladman JR (2008) Detection of intraplaque hemorrhage by magnetic resonance imaging in symptomatic patients with mild to moderate carotid stenosis predicts recurrent neurological events. J Vasc Surg 47(2):337-342
41. Gao P, Chen ZQ, Bao YH, Jiao LQ, Ling F (2007) Correlation between carotid intraplaque hemorrhage and clinical symptoms: systematic review of observational studies. Stroke 38(8):2382-2390 (Pubitemid 47457589)
42. Takaya N, Yuan C, Chu B, Saam T, Underhill H, Cai J, Tran N, Polissar NL, Isaac C, Ferguson MS, Garden GA, Cramer SC, Maravilla KR, Hashimoto B, Hatsukami TS (2006) Association between carotid plaque characteristics and subsequent ischemic cerebrovascular events: a prospective assessment with MRIinitial results. Stroke 37(3):818-823 (Pubitemid 43731915)
43. Altaf N, MacSweeney ST, Gladman J, Auer DP (2007) Carotid intraplaque hemorrhage predicts recurrent symptoms in patients with high-grade carotid stenosis. Stroke 38(5):1633-1635 (Pubitemid 46684185)
44. Hashimoto N, Hama S, Yamane K, Kurisu K (2012) Carotid arterial intraplaque hemorrhage and calcification influences cerebral hemodynamics. Neurosurg Rev 36(3):421-427
45. Moreno PR, Purushothaman KR, Sirol M, Levy AP, Fuster V (2006) Neovascularization in human atherosclerosis. Circulation 113(18):2245-2252
46. Milei J, Parodi JC, Alonso GF, Barone A, Grana D, Matturri L (1998) Carotid rupture and intraplaque hemorrhage: immunophenotype and role of cells involved. Am Heart J 136(6):1096-1105 (Pubitemid 29080871)
47. Teng Z, He J, Degnan AJ, Chen S, Sadat U, Bahaei NS, Rudd JH, Gillard JH (2012) Critical mechanical conditions around neovessels in carotid atherosclerotic plaque may promote intraplaque hemorrhage. Atherosclerosis 223(2):321-326
48. Cappendijk VC, Cleutjens KB, Kessels AG, Heeneman S, Schurink GW, Welten RJ, Mess WH, Daemen MJ, van Engelshoven JM, Kooi ME (2005) Assessment of human atherosclerotic carotid plaque components with multisequence MR imaging: initial experience. Radiology 234(2):487-492 (Pubitemid 40139920)
49. Cappendijk VC, Cleutjens KB, Heeneman S, Schurink GW, Welten RJ, Kessels AG, van Suylen RJ, Daemen MJ, van Engelshoven JM, Kooi ME (2004) In vivo detection of hemorrhage in human atherosclerotic plaques with magnetic resonance imaging. J Magn Reson Imaging 20(1):105-110 (Pubitemid 38857523)
50. Chu B, Kampschulte A, Ferguson MS, Kerwin WS, Yarnykh VL, O'Brien KD, Polissar NL, Hatsukami TS, Yuan C (2004) Hemorrhage in the atherosclerotic carotid plaque: a high-resolution MRI study. Stroke 35(5):1079-1084 (Pubitemid 38543521)
51. Ajduk M, Pavić L, Bulimbasić S, Sarlija M, Pavić P, Patrlj L, Brkljacić B (2009) Multidetector-row computed tomography in evaluation of atherosclerotic carotid plaques complicated with intraplaque hemorrhage. Ann Vasc Surg 23(2):186-193
52. Wintermark M, Jawadi SS, Rapp JH, Tihan T, Tong E, Glidden DV, Abedin S, Schaeffer S, Acevedo-Bolton G, Boudignon B, Orwoll B, Pan X, Saloner D (2008) High-resolution CT imaging of carotid artery atherosclerotic plaques. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 29(5):875-882 (Pubitemid 351684959)
53. de Weert TT, Ouhlous M, Meijering E, Zondervan PE, Hendriks JM, van Sambeek MR, Dippel DW, van der Lugt A (2006) In vivo characterization and quantification of atherosclerotic carotid plaque components with multidetector computed tomography and histopathological correlation. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 26(10):2366-2372 (Pubitemid 44465735)
54. Ajduk M, Pavić L, Bulimbasić S, Sarlija M, Pavić P, Patrlj L, Brkljacić B (2000) Multidetector-row computed tomography in evaluation of atherosclerotic carotid plaques complicated with intraplaque hemorrhage. Ann Vasc Surg 23:186-193
55. Saba L, Montisci R, Sanfilippo R, Mallarini G (2009) Multidetector row CT of the brain and carotid artery: a correlative analysis. Clin Radiol 64(8):767-778
56. Nandalur KR, Baskurt E, Hagspiel KD, Phillips CD, Kramer CM (2005) Calcified carotid atherosclerosic plaque is associated less with ischemic symptoms than is noncalcified plaque on MDCT. AJR Am J Roentgenol 184:295-298 (Pubitemid 40040945)
57. Kondos GT, Hoff JA, Sevrukov A (2003) Electronbeam tomography coronary artery calcium and cardiac events: a 37-month follow-up of 5635 initially asymptomatic low- to intermediate-risk adults. Circulation 107:2571-2576 (Pubitemid 36628938)
58. Sangiorgi G, Rumberger JA, Severson A (1998) Arterial calcification and not lumen stenosis is highly correlated with atherosclerotic plaque burden in humans: a histologic study of 723 coronary artery segments using nondecalcifying methodology. J Am Coll Cardiol 31:126-133 (Pubitemid 28064732)
59. Saba L, Mallarin G (2009) Window settings for the study of calcified carotid plaques with multidetector CT angiography. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 30(7):1445-1450
60. Geroulakos G, Ramaswani G, Nicolaides A (1993) Characterization of symptomatic and asymptomatic carotid plaques using high resolution real time ultrasound. Br J Surg 180:1274-1277 (Pubitemid 23313157)
61. Saba L, Sanfilippo R, Montisci R, Atzeni M, Ribuffo D, Mallarini G (2011) Vulnerable plaque: detection of agreement between multi-detector-row CT angiography and US-ECD. Eur J Radiol 77(3):509-515
62. Tahmasebpour HR, Buckley AR, Cooperberg PL, Fix CH (2005) Sonographic examination of the carotid arteries. RadioGraphics 25:1561-1575 (Pubitemid 41695323)
63. Saba L, Montisci R, Raz E, Sanfilippo R, Suri JS, Piga M (2012) Association between carotid artery plaque type and cerebral microbleeds. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 33(11):2144-2150
64. Saba L, Pascalis L, Sanfilippo R, Anzidei M, Bura R, Montisci R, Mallarini G (2011) Carotid artery wall thickness and leukoaraiosis: preliminary results using multidetector row CT angiography. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 32(5):955-961
65. Saba L, Sanfilippo R, Pascalis L, Montisci R, Mallarini G (2009) Carotid artery abnormalities and leukoaraiosis in elderly patients: evaluation with MDCT. AJR Am J Roentgenol 192(2):W63-W70
66. Kamenskiy AV, Pipinos II, Dzenis YA, Bikhchandani J, Gupta PK, Phillips N, Jaffar Kazmi SA, Mactaggart JN (2013) Effects of carotid artery stenting on arterial geometry. J Am Coll Surg. doi:10.1016/j.jamcollsurg.2013.03.016
67. Tsutsumi M, Kodama T, Aikawa H, Onizuka M, Iko M, Nii K, Hamaguchi S, Etou H, Sakamoto K, Inoue R, Nakau H, Kazekawa K (2010) Fragmentation of calcified plaque after carotid artery stenting in heavily calcified circumferential stenosis. Neuroradiology 52(9):831-836
68. Ouhlous M, Flach HZ, de Weert TT (2005) Carotid plaque composition and cerebral infarction: MR imaging study. Am J Neuroradiol 26:1044-1049 (Pubitemid 43821946)
69. Ukwatta E, Yuan J, Rajchl M, Qiu W, Tessier D, Fenster A (2013) 3-D carotid multi-region MRI segmentation by globally optimal evolution of coupled surfaces. IEEE Trans Med Imaging 32(4):770-785
70. Saba L, Sanfilippo R, Sannia S, Anzidei M, Montisci R, Mallarini G, Suri JS (2012) Association between carotid artery plaque volume, composition, and ulceration: a retrospective assessment with MDCT. AJR Am J Roentgenol 199:151-156
71. Barger AC, Beeuwkes R 3rd, Lainey LL, Silverman KJ (1984) Hypothesis: vasa vasorum and neovascularization of human coronary arteries: a possible role in the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis. N Engl J Med 310:175-177 (Pubitemid 14224112)
72. Kolodgie FD, Gold HK, Burke AP, Fowler DR, Kruth HS, Weber DK, Farb A, Guerrero LJ, Hayase M, Kutys R, Narula J, Finn AV, Virmani R (2003) Intraplaque hemorrhage and progression of coronary atheroma. N Engl J Med 349:2316-2325 (Pubitemid 37509739)
73. Zhou Y, Xing Y, Li Y, Bai Y, Chen Y, Sun X, Zhu Y, Wu J (2013) An assessment of the vulnerability of carotid plaques: a comparative study between intraplaque neovascularization and plaque echogenicity. BMC Med Imaging 28(13):13. doi:10.1186/1471-2342-13-13
74. Kunte H, Schmidt C, Harms L, Rückert RI, Grigoryev M, Fischer T (2012) Contrast-enhanced ultrasound and detection of carotid plaque neovascularization. Neurology 79(20):2081
75. Ten Kate GL, van den Oord SC, Sijbrands EJ, van der Lugt A, de Jong N, Bosch JG, van der Steen AF, Schinkel AF (2013) Current status and future developments of contrast-enhanced ultrasound of carotid atherosclerosis. J Vasc Surg 57(2):539-546
76. Jaipersad AS, Shantsila A, Silverman S, Lip GY, Shantsila E (2012) Evaluation of carotid plaque neovascularization using contrast ultrasound. Angiology. doi:10.1177/0003319712457013
77. Saba L, Lai ML, Montisci R, Tamponi E, Sanfilippo R, Faa G, Piga M (2012) Association between carotid plaque enhancement shown by multidetector CT angiography and histologically validated microvessel density. Eur Radiol 22(10):2237-2245. doi:10.1007/s00330-012-2467-5
78. Horie N, Morikawa M, Ishizaka S, Takeshita T, So G, Hayashi K, Suyama K, Nagata I (2012) Assessment of carotid plaque stability based on the dynamic enhancement pattern in plaque components with multidetector CT angiography. Stroke 43(2):393-398
79. Saba L, Piga M, Raz E, Farina D, Montisci R (2012) Carotid artery plaque classification: does contrast enhancement play a significant role? AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 33(9):1814-1817. doi:10.3174/ajnr.A3073
80. Saba L, Mallarini G (2011) Carotid plaque enhancement and symptom correlations: an evaluation by using multidetector row CT angiography. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 32(10):1919-1925. doi:10.3174/ajnr.A2605
81. Romero JM, Babiarz LS, Forero NP, Murphy EK, Schaefer PW, Gonzalez RG, Lev MH (2009) Arterial wall enhancement overlying carotid plaque on CT angiography correlates with symptoms in patients with high grade stenosis. Stroke 40(5):1894-1896
82. Qiao Y, Etesami M, Astor BC, Zeiler SR, Trout HH 3rd, Wasserman BA (2012) Carotid plaque neovascularization and hemorrhage detected by MR imaging are associated with recent cerebrovascular ischemic events. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 33(4):755-760
83. Lobbes MB, Heeneman S, Passos VL, Welten R, Kwee RM, van der Geest RJ, Wiethoff AJ, Caravan P, Misselwitz B, Daemen MJ, van Engelshoven JM, Leiner T, Kooi ME (2010) Gadofosveset-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of human carotid atherosclerotic plaques: a proof-of-concept study. Invest Radiol 45(5):275-281
84. Oppenheim C, Naggara O, Touzé E, Lacour JC, Schmitt E, Bonneville F, Crozier S, Guégan-Massardier E, Gerardin E, Leclerc X, Neau JP, Sirol M, Toussaint JF, Mas JL, Méder JF (2009) High-resolution MR imaging of the cervical arterial wall: what the radiologist needs to know. Radiographics 29(5):1413-1431
85. Gaens ME, Backes WH, Rozel S, Lipperts M, Sanders SN, Jaspers K, Cleutjens JP, Sluimer JC, Heeneman S, Daemen MJ, Welten RJ, Daemen JW, Wildberger JE, Kwee RM, Kooi ME (2013) Dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging of carotid atherosclerotic plaque: model selection, reproducibility, and validation. Radiology 266(1):271-279
86. Shah F, Balan P, Weinberg M, Reddy V, Neems R, Feinstein M, Dainauskas J, Meyer P, Goldin M, Feinstein SB (2007) Contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging of atherosclerotic carotid plaque neovascularization: a new surrogate marker of atherosclerosis? Vasc Med 12(4):291-297
87. Feinstein SB (2006) Contrast ultrasound imaging of the carotid artery vasa vasorum and atherosclerotic plaque neovascularization. J Am Coll Cardiol 48(2):236-243
88. Vicenzini E, Giannoni MF, Puccinelli F, Ricciardi MC, Altieri M, Di Piero V, Gossetti B, Valentini FB, Lenzi GL (2007) Detection of carotid adventitial vasa vasorum and plaque vascularization with ultrasound cadence contrast pulse sequencing technique and echo-contrast agent. Stroke 38(10):2841-2843 (Pubitemid 47494026)
89. Staub D, Partovi S, Schinkel AF, Coll B, Uthoff H, Aschwanden M, Jaeger KA, Feinstein SB (2011) Correlation of carotid artery atherosclerotic lesion echogenicity and severity at standard US with intraplaque neovascularization detected at contrast-enhanced US. Radiology 258(2):618-626
90. Chappell FM, Wardlaw JM, Young GR et al (2009) Carotid artery stenosis: accuracy of noninvasive tests-individual patient data meta-analysis. Radiology 251:493-502
91. Kawahara I, Morikawa M, Honda M, Kitagawa N, Tsutsumi K, Nagata I, Hayashi T, Koji T (2007) High-resolution magnetic resonance imaging using gadolinium-based contrast agent for atherosclerotic carotid plaque. Surg Neurol 68(1):60-65 discussion 65-66
92. Yuan C, Kerwin WS, Ferguson MS, Polissar N, Zhang S, Cai J, Hatsukami TS (2002) Contrast-enhanced high-resolution MRI for atherosclerotic carotid artery tissue characterization. J Magn Reson Imaging 15(1):62-67 (Pubitemid 34008147)
93. Kerwin W, Hooker A, Spilker M, Vicini P, Ferguson M, Hatsukami T, Yuan C (2003) Quantitative magnetic resonance imaging analysis of neovasculature volume in carotid atherosclerotic plaque. Circulation 107(6):851-856 (Pubitemid 36241043)
94. Kerwin WS, O'Brien KD, Ferguson MS, Polissar N, Hatsukami TS, Yuan C (2006) Inflammation in carotid atherosclerotic plaque: a dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging study. Radiology 241(2):459-468 (Pubitemid 44632892)
95. Papini GD, Di Leo G, Tritella S, Nano G, Cotticelli B, Clemente C, Tealdi DG, Sardanelli F (2011) Evaluation of inflammatory status of atherosclerotic carotid plaque before thromboendarterectomy using delayed contrast-enhanced subtracted images after magnetic resonance angiography. Eur J Radiol 80(3):e373-e380
96. Millon A, Boussel L, Brevet M, Mathevet JL, Canet-Soulas E, Mory C, Scoazec JY, Douek P (2012) Clinical and histological significance of gadolinium enhancement in carotid atherosclerotic plaque. Stroke 43(11):3023-3028
97. Anzidei M, Napoli A, Marincola BC, Kirchin MA, Neira C, Geiger D, Zaccagna F, Catalano C, Passariello R (2009) High-resolution steady state magnetic resonance angiography of the carotid arteries: are intravascular agents necessary? Feasibility and preliminary experience with gadobenate dimeglumine. Invest Radiol 44(12):784-792
98. Anzidei M, Napoli A, Marincola BC, Nofroni I, Geiger D, Zaccagna F, Catalano C, Passariello R (2009) Gadofosveset-enhanced MR angiography of carotid arteries: does steady-state imaging improve accuracy of first-pass imaging? Comparison with selective digital subtraction angiography. Radiology 251(2):457-466
99. Ruehm SG, Corot C, Vogt P, Cristina H, Debatin JF (2002) Ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide-enhanced MR imaging of atherosclerotic plaque in hyperlipidemic rabbits. Acad Radiol 9(Suppl 1):S143-S144 (Pubitemid 34441467)
100. Trivedi RA, Mallawarachi C, U-King-Im JM, Graves MJ, Horsley J, Goddard MJ, Brown A, Wang L, Kirkpatrick PJ, Brown J, Gillard JH (2006) Identifying inflamed carotid plaques using in vivo USPIO-enhanced MR imaging to label plaque macrophages. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 26(7):1601-1606 (Pubitemid 44288989)
101. Koelemay MJ, Nederkoorn PJ, Reitsma JB, Majoie CB (2004) Systematic review of computed tomographic angiography for assessment of carotid artery disease. Stroke 35(10):2306-2312 (Pubitemid 39311254)
102. Hardie AD, Kramer CM, Raghavan P, Baskurt E, Nandalur KR (2007) The impact of expansive arterial remodeling on clinical presentation in carotid artery disease: a multidetector CT angiography study. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 28(6):1067-1070 (Pubitemid 46984543)
103. Paul J, Mbalisike EC, Nour-Eldin NE, Vogl TJ (2013) Dual-source 128-slice MDCT neck: radiation dose and image quality estimation of three different protocols. Eur J Radiol 82(5):787-796
104. Fleischmann D, Boas FE (2011) Computed tomography - old ideas and new technology. Eur Radiol 21:510-517
105. Mannelli L, Mitsumori LM, Ferguson M, Xu D, Chu B, Branch KR, Shuman WP, Yuan C (2013) Changes in measured size of atherosclerotic plaque calcifications in dual-energy CT of ex vivo carotid endarterectomy specimens: effect of monochromatic keV image reconstructions. Eur Radiol 23(2):367-374
106. Saba L, Argiolas GM, Siotto P, Piga M (2013) Carotid artery plaque characterization using CT multienergy imaging. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 34(4):855-859
107. Goessens BM, Visseren FL, Kappelle LJ, Algra A, van der GY (2007) Asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis and the risk of new vascular events in patients with manifest arterial disease: the SMART study. Stroke 38:1470-1475 (Pubitemid 46684147)
108. Marquardt L, Geraghty OC, Mehta Z, Rothwell PM (2010) Low risk of ipsilateral stroke in patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis on best medical treatment: a prospective, population-based study. Stroke 41:e11-e17
109. Nicolaides AN, Kakkos SK, Griffin M, Sabetai M, Dhanjil S, Tegos T et al (2005) Severity of asymptomatic carotid stenosis and risk of ipsilateral hemispheric ischaemic events: results from the ACSRS study. Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg 30:275-284 (Pubitemid 41086299)
110. Brott TG, Hobson RW, Howard G, Roubin GS, Clark WM, Brooks W et al (2010) Stenting versus endarterectomy for treatment of carotid-artery stenosis. N Engl J Med 363:11-23
111. Vanninen R, Manninen H, Soimakallio S (1995) Imaging of carotid artery stenosis: clinical efficacy and cost-effectiveness. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 16(9):1875-1883
112. Wardlaw JM, Chappell FM, Stevenson M, De Nigris E, Thomas S, Gillard J, Berry E, Young G, Rothwell P, Roditi G, Gough M, Brennan A, Bamford J, Best J (2006) Accurate, practical and cost-effective assessment of carotid stenosis in the UK. Health Technol Assess 10(30):iii-iv, ix-x, 1-182