Carotid Artery Tortuosity and Internal Carotid Artery Plaque Composition.
Atherosclerosis
Carotid artery
Magnetic resonance angiography
Plaque
Tortuosity
Journal
Clinical neuroradiology
ISSN: 1869-1447
Titre abrégé: Clin Neuroradiol
Pays: Germany
ID NLM: 101526693
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
Dec 2023
Dec 2023
Historique:
received:
12
12
2022
accepted:
27
04
2023
medline:
20
11
2023
pubmed:
8
6
2023
entrez:
7
6
2023
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Little is known about the association between carotid artery tortuosity and internal carotid artery atherosclerosis. This study sought to evaluate the associations between various types of arterial tortuosity and vulnerable plaque components on magnetic resonance angiography (MRA). A retrospective review was completed of 102 patients who had undergone MRA neck imaging, with intraplaque hemorrhage (IPH) present in one or both cervical internal carotid arteries (ICA). Each ICA was assessed for two categories of tortuosity: variant arterial pathway(s) (retrojugular and/or retropharyngeal) and abnormal curvature (kinks, loops, and/or coils). All ICA plaques were assessed for the presence or absence of intraplaque hemorrhage (IPH), lipid-rich necrotic core (LRNC), ulceration, and enhancement, as well as the volume of IPH and degree of luminal stenosis. The mean age of included patients was 73.5 years (SD = 9.0 years) and 88 (86.3%) subjects were male. The left carotid plaque was significantly more likely to have IPH (68.6% vs. 47.1%; p = 0.02). The left ICA was more likely to have a retrojugular course (22% vs. 9.9%; p = 0.002) and any variant arterial course (26.5% versus 14.67%, p = 0.01). On the right there was an association between the presence of a LRNC and retropharyngeal and/or retrojugular arterial pathway (p = 0.03). On the left there was an association between the presence of any abnormal arterial curvature and IPH volume (p = 0.03). Neither association met the adjusted statistical threshold after Bonferroni correction, with alpha set at 0.0028. ICA tortuosity is not associated with carotid artery plaque composition, and likely does not play a role in the development of high-risk plaques.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
Little is known about the association between carotid artery tortuosity and internal carotid artery atherosclerosis. This study sought to evaluate the associations between various types of arterial tortuosity and vulnerable plaque components on magnetic resonance angiography (MRA).
MATERIAL AND METHODS
METHODS
A retrospective review was completed of 102 patients who had undergone MRA neck imaging, with intraplaque hemorrhage (IPH) present in one or both cervical internal carotid arteries (ICA). Each ICA was assessed for two categories of tortuosity: variant arterial pathway(s) (retrojugular and/or retropharyngeal) and abnormal curvature (kinks, loops, and/or coils). All ICA plaques were assessed for the presence or absence of intraplaque hemorrhage (IPH), lipid-rich necrotic core (LRNC), ulceration, and enhancement, as well as the volume of IPH and degree of luminal stenosis.
RESULTS
RESULTS
The mean age of included patients was 73.5 years (SD = 9.0 years) and 88 (86.3%) subjects were male. The left carotid plaque was significantly more likely to have IPH (68.6% vs. 47.1%; p = 0.02). The left ICA was more likely to have a retrojugular course (22% vs. 9.9%; p = 0.002) and any variant arterial course (26.5% versus 14.67%, p = 0.01). On the right there was an association between the presence of a LRNC and retropharyngeal and/or retrojugular arterial pathway (p = 0.03). On the left there was an association between the presence of any abnormal arterial curvature and IPH volume (p = 0.03). Neither association met the adjusted statistical threshold after Bonferroni correction, with alpha set at 0.0028.
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSIONS
ICA tortuosity is not associated with carotid artery plaque composition, and likely does not play a role in the development of high-risk plaques.
Identifiants
pubmed: 37286876
doi: 10.1007/s00062-023-01302-1
pii: 10.1007/s00062-023-01302-1
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
1017-1021Informations de copyright
© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany.
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