Association between carotid plaque characteristics and cerebral XXXX : one-year follow-up study by MRI.

@entity1 @entity62 @entity64 @entity1031
OBJECTIVE: To prospectively assess the relation between carotid plaque characteristics and the development of new cerebral @entity62 ( @entity62 ) at MRI. METHODS: Fifty TIA/ @entity64 @entity1 with ipsilateral 30-69% carotid stenosis underwent MRI of the plaque at baseline. Total plaque volume and markers of vulnerability to @entity1031 (lipid-rich necrotic core [LRNC] volume, fibrous cap [FC] status, and presence of intraplaque hemorrhage [IPH]) were assessed. All @entity1 also underwent brain MRI at baseline and after one year. Ipsilateral cerebral @entity62 were quantified with a semiautomatic method. RESULTS: Mean WML volume significantly increased over a one-year period (6.52 vs. 6.97 mm(3), P=0.005). WML volume at baseline and WML progression did not significantly differ (P>0.05) between @entity1 with 30-49% and @entity1 with 50-69% stenosis. There was a significant correlation between total plaque volume and baseline ipsilateral WML volume (Spearman   =0.393, P=0.005). There was no significant correlation between total plaque volume and ipsilateral WML progression. There were no significant associations between LRNC volume and WML volume at baseline and WML progression. WML volume at baseline and WML progression did not significantly differ between @entity1 with a thick and intact FC and @entity1 with a thin and/or ruptured FC. WML volume at baseline and WML progression also did not significantly differ between @entity1 with and without IPH. CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicate that carotid plaque burden is significantly associated with WML severity, but that there is no causal relationship between carotid plaque vulnerability and the occurrence of @entity62 .
