Review of imaging biomarkers for the vulnerable carotid plaque

Luca Saba, MD; Nivedita Agarwal, MD; Riccardo Cau, MD; Clara Gerosa, MD; Roberto Sanfilippo, MD; Michele Porcu, MD; Roberto Montisci, MD; Giulia Cerrone, MD; Yang Qi, MD; Antonella Balestrieri, MD; Pierleone Lucatelli, MD; Carola Politi, MD; Gavino Faa, MD; Jasjit S. Suri, PhD, MBA, FIEEE, FAIUM, FAIMBE, FAPVS

JVS - Vascular Science (Jan 2021)

Review of imaging biomarkers for the vulnerable carotid plaque

Luca Saba, MD,
Nivedita Agarwal, MD,
Riccardo Cau, MD,
Clara Gerosa, MD,
Roberto Sanfilippo, MD,
Michele Porcu, MD,
Roberto Montisci, MD,
Giulia Cerrone, MD,
Yang Qi, MD,
Antonella Balestrieri, MD,
Pierleone Lucatelli, MD,
Carola Politi, MD,
Gavino Faa, MD,
Jasjit S. Suri, PhD, MBA, FIEEE, FAIUM, FAIMBE, FAPVS

Affiliations

Luca Saba, MD: Department of Radiology, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy; Correspondence: Luca Saba, MD, Department of Radiology, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria, di Cagliari, Polo di Monserrato, s.s. 554 Monserrato, Cagliari 09045, Italy.
Nivedita Agarwal, MD: Section of Radiology, Santa Maria del Carmine Hospital, Rovereto, Italy
Riccardo Cau, MD: Department of Radiology, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
Clara Gerosa, MD: Department of Pathology, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria, Cagliari, Italy
Roberto Sanfilippo, MD: Department of Vascular Surgery, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria, Cagliari, Italy
Michele Porcu, MD: Department of Radiology, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
Roberto Montisci, MD: Department of Vascular Surgery, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria, Cagliari, Italy
Giulia Cerrone, MD: Department of Pathology, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria, Cagliari, Italy
Yang Qi, MD: Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
Antonella Balestrieri, MD: Department of Radiology, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
Pierleone Lucatelli, MD: Vascular and Interventional Unit, Department of Radiological Sciences, Policlinico Umberto I, “Sapienza” University of Rome, Rome, Italy
Carola Politi, MD: Department of Radiology, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
Gavino Faa, MD: Department of Pathology, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria, Cagliari, Italy
Jasjit S. Suri, PhD, MBA, FIEEE, FAIUM, FAIMBE, FAPVS: Stroke Diagnosis and Monitoring Division, AtheroPoint™, Roseville, Calif

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 2
pp. 149 – 158

Abstract

Read online

Identification of carotid artery atherosclerosis is conventionally based on measurements of luminal stenosis. However, histopathologic studies demonstrate considerable differences between plaques with identical degrees of stenosis and indicate that certain plaque features are associated with increased risk for ischemic events. As a result of the rapid technological evolution in medical imaging, several important steps have been taken in the field of carotid plaque imaging allowing us to visualize the carotid atherosclerotic plaque and its composition in great detail. For computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, positron emission tomography, and ultrasound scan, evidence has accumulated on novel imaging-based markers that confer information on carotid plaque vulnerability, such as intraplaque hemorrhage and lipid-rich necrotic cores. In terms of the imaging-based identification of individuals at high risk of stroke, routine assessments of such imaging markers are the way forward for improving current clinical practice. The current review highlights the main characteristics of the vulnerable plaque indicating their role in the etiology of ischemic stroke as identified by intensive plaque imaging.

Published in JVS - Vascular Science

ISSN: 2666-3503 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United States
LCC subjects: Medicine: Internal medicine: Specialties of internal medicine: Diseases of the circulatory (Cardiovascular) system
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/jvs-vascular-science

About the journal

Abstract

Keywords