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. 2017 Feb;45(2):410-417.
doi: 10.1002/jmri.25365. Epub 2016 Jul 7.

Motion-insensitive carotid intraplaque hemorrhage imaging using 3D inversion recovery preparation stack of stars (IR-prep SOS) technique

Seong-Eun Kim  1   2 , John A Roberts  1   2 , Laura B Eisenmenger  2 , Booth W Aldred  2 , Osama Jamil  2 , Bradley D Bolster  3 , Xiaoming Bi  3 , Dennis L Parker  1   2 , Gerald S Treiman  4   5 , J Scott McNally  1   2
Affiliations

Motion-insensitive carotid intraplaque hemorrhage imaging using 3D inversion recovery preparation stack of stars (IR-prep SOS) technique

Seong-Eun Kim et al. J Magn Reson Imaging. 2017 Feb.

Abstract

Purpose: Carotid artery imaging is important in the clinical management of patients at risk for stroke. Carotid intraplaque hemorrhage (IPH) presents an important diagnostic challenge. 3D magnetization prepared rapid acquisition gradient echo (MPRAGE) has been shown to accurately image carotid IPH; however, this sequence can be limited due to motion- and flow-related artifact. The purpose of this work was to develop and evaluate an improved 3D carotid MPRAGE sequence for IPH detection. We hypothesized that a radial-based k-space trajectory sequence such as "Stack of Stars" (SOS) incorporated with inversion recovery preparation would offer reduced motion sensitivity and more robust flow suppression by oversampling of central k-space.

Materials and methods: A total of 31 patients with carotid disease (62 carotid arteries) were imaged at 3T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with 3D IR-prep Cartesian and SOS sequences. Image quality was determined between SOS and Cartesian MPRAGE in 62 carotid arteries using t-tests and multivariable linear regression. Kappa analysis was used to determine interrater reliability.

Results: In all, 25 among 62 carotid plaques had carotid IPH by consensus from the reviewers on SOS compared to 24 on Cartesian sequence. Image quality was significantly higher with SOS compared to Cartesian (mean 3.74 vs. 3.11, P < 0.001). SOS acquisition yielded sharper image features with less motion (19.4% vs. 45.2%, P < 0.002) and flow artifact (27.4% vs. 41.9%, P < 0.089). There was also excellent interrater reliability with SOS (kappa = 0.89), higher than that of Cartesian (kappa = 0.84).

Conclusion: By minimizing flow and motion artifacts and retaining high interrater reliability, the SOS MPRAGE has important advantages over Cartesian MPRAGE in carotid IPH detection.

Level of evidence: 1 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2017;45:410-417.

Keywords: IPH; MPRAGE; SOS; carotid plaque; flow suppression; stroke.

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Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
3D MPRAGE sequence with SOS (left) and Cartesian trajectory (right).
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Data sampling pattern of 3D SOS trajectory.
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
The simulated magnetizations of the tissues with different T1 relaxation times when inversion time were selected as 250 msec (a), 350 msec (b), and 400 msec (c). The hemorrhage signal was simulated by using different flip angles with TI of 350 msec (d).
FIGURE 4
FIGURE 4
Comparison of carotid IPH sequences with SOS acquisition vs. Cartesian acquisition for two different subjects. Flow and motion artifact are eliminated on the SOS acquisition.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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