High-resolution MRI study on carotid plaque characteristics and severity of coronary artery atherosclerosis in carotid atherosclerosis patients
QIN Rui
ZHENG Chong
WANG Jingjuan
LI Tong
LU Jie
Abstract：Objective To investigate the differences and correlation in carotid plaque characteristics among patients with carotid atherosclerosis across different severities of coronary atherosclerosis with high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging(HRMRI)and coronary computed tomography angiography(CCTA).Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical and imaging data of 123 patients with carotid atherosclerosis who were admitted to Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University and Shandong Provincial Hospital between January 2018 and December 2024.All patients underwent CCTA and carotid HRMRI.According to the coronary artery disease-reporting and data system(CAD-RADS)criteria based on CCTA,they were divided into a mild CAD group(CAD-RADS 1～2,n=39)and a moderate to severe CAD group(CAD-RADS 3～5,n=84).The detection rates of intraplaque hemorrhage(IPH),lipid-rich necrotic core(LRNC),thin/ruptured fibrous cap(TRFC),and plaque calcification were compared between the two groups.The correlation between carotid plaque characteristics and the severity of coronary artery atherosclerosis was also analyzed.Results Compared with the mild CAD group,the moderate to severe group had significantly higher detection rates of IPH,LRNC,TRFC,and plaque calcification than the mild disease group(P<0.05,P<0.01).Moreover,IPH(r=0.42,P<0.01),LRNC(r=0.31,P<0.01),TRFC(r=0.23,P=0.01),and plaque calcification(r=0.29,P<0.01)were correlated with CAD-RADS classification.Conclusion The characteristics of carotid plaques in patients with carotid atherosclerosis are significantly correlated with the severity of coronary artery atherosclerosis,providing an imaging basis for the risk assessment of CAD.
Keywords：coronary diseasemagnetic resonance imagingcomputed tomography angiographycarotid atherosclerosis
Publication Date：2026-01-15
Online Publishing Date：2026-01-16(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：4( 62-65 )