Characterization of high-intensity plaques on noncontrast T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging by coronary angioscopy.
BACKGROUND
A recent study showed that coronary high-intensity plaques (HIPs) visualized by noncontrast T1-weighted imaging (T1WI) in cardiac magnetic resonance were associated with coronary events. We used coronary angioscopy to analyze HIP plaque morphology.


METHODS AND RESULTS
A total 17 lesions from 17 patients with stable or unstable angina pectoris were evaluated at the culprit lesion by noncontrast T1WI using 1.5-T magnetic resonance; of them, nine (53%) were HIPs and eight (47%) were non-HIPs, and all were analyzed by coronary angioscopy. We assessed the existence of thrombus and plaque yellow color grade (YG). YG was assessed visually according to a four-grade scale: 0, white; 1, light yellow; 2, yellow; 3, intense yellow. The frequency of thrombus was significantly higher in HIPs than in non-HIPs (89% vs. 25%, respectively; p=0.007). YG was significantly more frequent in HIPs than in non-HIPs (2.2±0.4 vs. 0.7±0.7, respectively; p=0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
These data indicated that HIPs on noncontrast T1WI were associated with the presence of high-grade yellow plaque with thrombus.
['Oshita|Akira|A|', 'Kawakami|Hideo|H|', 'Miyoshi|Toru|T|', 'Seike|Fumiyasu|F|', 'Matsuoka|Hiroshi|H|']
D000368:Aged D000369:Aged, 80 and over D000787:Angina Pectoris D017546:Angioscopy D003331:Coronary Vessels D005260:Female D006801:Humans D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging D008297:Male D008875:Middle Aged D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic D013927:Thrombosis
High-intensity plaques Angioscopy Thrombus Yellow plaque