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 T1 weighted image (T1 WI) are known to cause cerebral ischemic disease. Signal intensity ratio (SIR), which is calculated from T1 WI in the quantitative evaluation of plaque characterization have been used. However, the various sequences in T1 WI 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 T1 WI sequence in MR carotid plaque imaging. We directly compared four kinds of T1 WI 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 T1 WI uses a different MRI device, equal SIR is provided. Therefore, 2D SE is appropriate to evaluate the characteristics of carotid plaque.