Detection of coronary vulnerable plaques using magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24591088
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Circulatory organs internal medicine
• Research Institution: National Cardiovascular Center Research Institute
• Principal Investigator: NOGUCHI Teruo 独立行政法人国立循環器病研究センター, 病院, 部長 (70505099)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): YASUDA Satoshi 国立循環器病研究センター, 病院, 部門長 (00431578) ; IIDA Hidehiro 国立循環器病研究センター, 研究所, 部長 (30322720) ; YAMADA Naoaki 国立循環器病研究センター, 病院, 医師 (40393219)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: plaque / magnetic resonance / imaging / acute coronary syndrome

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We have previously shown that the presence of coronary high-intensity plaques (HIPs) detected by non-contrast T1WI is associated with positive coronary artery remodeling, low density on computed tomography angiography (CTA), and ultrasound attenuation. In addition, HIPs can be uniquely assessed using a plaque to myocardium signal intensity ratio (PMR). We demonstrates that HIPs identified by non-contrast T1WI are significantly associated with coronary events and may thus a promising predictive factor in patients at high risk. Moreover,we shows that intensive statin therapy reduces HIP-PMR identified by non-contrast T1WI, which may represent a useful method for quantitatively monitoring changes in plaque vulnerability.

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