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Comparison of the Diagnostic Performances of Ultrasound, High‐Resolution Magnetic Resonance Imaging, and Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography in a Rabbit Carotid Vulnerable Plaque Atherosclerosis Model
Author(s) -
Xu Lei,
Wang Renjie,
Liu Hongyu,
Wang Jiaoqi,
Liang Wenzhao,
Mang Jing,
Xu Zhongxin
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of ultrasound in medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.574
H-Index - 91
eISSN - 1550-9613
pISSN - 0278-4297
DOI - 10.1002/jum.15331
Subject(s) - medicine , common carotid artery , positron emission tomography , hypermetabolism , magnetic resonance imaging , stenosis , radiology , carotid arteries , ultrasound , nuclear medicine
Objectives Our study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic performances of 3 routine examination methods for cerebrovascular disease in a rabbit carotid artery atherosclerosis model. Methods A total of 12 New Zealand rabbits were included: 4 in a control group and 8 in an experimental group. A clinically relevant atherosclerosis rabbit model was induced by left common carotid artery ligation and a 12‐week high‐fat diet. Atherosclerosis was further confirmed by a histopathologic analysis. Then carotid ultrasound (US) imaging, high‐resolution magnetic resonance imaging (HRMRI), and positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) were performed on this model to evaluate the diagnostic performances. Results Carotid US showed plaque formation in the left common carotid artery and little plaque in the right common carotid artery in the experimental group. In addition, HRMRI showed stenosis formation in the left common carotid artery in the experimental group. At the horizontal level, plaques were found in the left common carotid artery, and no plaques were found in the right common carotid artery in the experimental group. Also, PET/CT showed local hypermetabolism and vulnerable plaques in the left common carotid artery of the experimental group, whereas no hypermetabolism was found in the right common carotid artery of the experimental group. Moreover, the soft plaques detected by carotid US were different from the vulnerable plaques detected by PET/CT. The unstable plaques on HRMRI were the same as the hypermetabolic vulnerable plaques on PET/CT. Conclusions High‐resolution MRI is recommended for the evaluation of neck and intracranial vascular stenosis and plaque properties in patients with stroke.