Study on atherosclerotic plaque at carotid bifurcation by imaging examination in patients with ischemic cerebrovascular disease

Objective To investigate the relation of the ischemic cerebrovascular disease (ICVD) with the character of carotid bifurcation atherosclerotic plaque and the grade of stenosis of carotid artery using dual-source CTA(DSCTA) and high-resolution MRI.Methods Forty patients with ICVD underwent carotid artery high-resolution MRI after DSCTA.All patients had varying degrees of carotid bifurcation atherosclerosis.The component of carotid atherosclerotic plaque and the grade of stenosis of carotid artery were measured.Results Among 40 patients,CTA detected 61 plaques,of which,31 were combined calcified and soft plaques,18 were calcified plaques,12 were soft plaques.In 30 hypertensive patients,49 plaques were detected,in 10 patients without hypertension,12 plaques were detected.MRI detected 61 plaques,of which,14 were type Ⅲ ,23 were type Ⅳ-Ⅴ,6 were typeⅥ ,18 were typeⅦ.Six cases showed plaque within the ulcer.Carotid atherosclerotic plaque caused ipsilateral acute cerebral infarction in 14 cases,10 cases had cerebral infarction caused by bilateral carotid artery plaque.Two cases of cerebral infarction had plaque detected in contralateral carotid artery.Conclusions The carotid artery plaque in patients with ICVD is mainly combined calcified and soft plaque,which is easy to occurr in bilateral carotid arteries.Carotid atherosclerotic plaque caused high incidence of ipsilateral cerebral infarction.