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The impact of spatial resolution and respiratory motion on MR imaging of atherosclerotic plaque
Author(s) -
Schär Michael,
Kim Won Yong,
Stuber Matthias,
Boesiger Peter,
Manning Warren J.,
Botnar René M.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
journal of magnetic resonance imaging
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.563
H-Index - 160
eISSN - 1522-2586
pISSN - 1053-1807
DOI - 10.1002/jmri.10287
Subject(s) - image resolution , imaging phantom , pixel , biomedical engineering , resolution (logic) , materials science , lumen (anatomy) , physics , optics , medicine , computer science , artificial intelligence
Abstract Purpose To examine the impact of spatial resolution and respiratory motion on the ability to accurately measure atherosclerotic plaque burden and to visually identify atherosclerotic plaque composition. Materials and Methods Numerical simulations of the Bloch equations and vessel wall phantom studies were performed for different spatial resolutions by incrementally increasing the field of view. In addition, respiratory motion was simulated based on a measured physiologic breathing pattern. Results While a spatial resolution of ≥ 6 pixels across the wall does not result in significant errors, a resolution of ≤ 4 pixels across the wall leads to an overestimation of > 20%. Using a double‐inversion T2‐weighted turbo spin echo sequence, a resolution of 1 pixel across equally thick tissue layers (fibrous cap, lipid, smooth muscle) and a respiratory motion correction precision (gating window) of three times the thickness of the tissue layer allow for characterization of the different coronary wall components. Conclusions We found that measurements in low‐resolution black blood images tend to overestimate vessel wall area and underestimate lumen area. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2003;17:538–544. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.