Stability of intracranial artery atheromatous plaque:evalution using double low doses CTA
LI Fengzhang
HU Hanming
WU Qiheng
ZOU Nan'an
DING Shaochun
LIU Xia
XIONG Jianzhong
Abstract：Objective To explore the feasibility of dual low-dose CT angiography (CTA) to assess plaque stability. Methods Forty-two cases (male n=29, female n=13;age 62.3±7.69 years) who suffered from cerebral ischemic stroke in our Department of Neurology during January 2015 to March 2016 were recruited. They were randomly divided into two groups, dual low-dose group and the conventional dose group, 21 cases in each group. Each group of patients received CTA with tube voltage and iodinated contrast agent dose 80 kV and 50 mL in dual low-dose group, and 120 kV and 100 mL in conventional dose group. Post processing of intracranial arterial plaque was conducted. The t-test was used to compare the image quality, degree of vascular enhancement, and X-ray radiation dose between the two groups. Chi-square test was used to compare the difference in plaque detection rate between the two groups. Results The standard deviation was significantly higher in dual low-dose group than in the conventional dose group (P<0.05). The contrast noise ratio and signal noise ratio did not significantly differ between the two groups(P>0.05). The dual low-dose group had higher CT values at middle cerebral artery M1 segment and vertebral basilar artery than that of conventional tube voltage group (all P<0.05). The image quality showed good in both groups (>2 points) and did not significantly differ from each other (P>0.05). The plaque detection rates had no statistical significance between the two groups (P>0.05). The CT dose index volume, dose length product, and effective dose in the dual low-dose group were lower than in the conventional dose group (all P<0.05). Conclusions CTA with dual low-dose technique can clearly demonstrate morphology and composition of intracranial arterial plaque, can lead to relatively accurate judgments on plaque stability, and can effectively reduce doses of ionizing radiation and nephrotoxic iodine contrast agent. Therefore, dual low-dose CTA assessment of intracranial arterial plaque stability is feasible and worthy of promotion and has clinical application value.
Keywords：Cerebral ischemic strokeAthermanous plaqueTomographyX-ray computerAngiographyRadiation doseContrast agent
Publication Date：2017-01-01
Online Publishing Date：2025-08-15(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：5( 119-123 )