Intraplaque hemorrhage
Plaque morphology
“Vulnerable” plaques are atherosclerotic plaques likely to cause thrombotic complications or those that tend to progress rapidly. Criteria for vulnerable plaques include intimal thickening, plaque fissure, lipid/necrotic core with thin fibrous cap, calcification, thrombus, intraplaque hemorrhage, and outward remodeling. Some of these features can be identified with high-resolution MRI 1) 2) 3) 4)
1)
Cai JM, Hatsukami TS, Ferguson MS, Small R, Polissar
NL, Yuan C. Classification of human carotid atherosclerotic
lesions with in vivo multicontrast
magnetic resonance imaging. Circulation. 2002;
106:1368–1373
2)
Saam T, Cai J, Ma L, Cai YQ, Ferguson MS, Polissar
NL, Hatsukami TS, Yuan C. Comparison of symptomatic
and asymptomatic atherosclerotic carotid
plaque features with in vivo MR imaging. Radiology.
2006; 240:464–472
3)
Saam T, Hatsukami TS, Takaya N, Chu B, Underhill
H, Kerwin WS, Cai J, Ferguson MS, Yuan C. The vulnerable,
or high-risk, atherosclerotic plaque: noninvasive
MR imaging for characterization and
assessment. Radiology. 2007; 244:64–77
4)
Nighoghossian N, Derex L, Douek P. The vulnerable
carotid artery plaque: current imaging methods
and new perspectives. Stroke. 2005; 36:2764–2772