Proximal Region of Carotid Atherosclerotic Plaque Shows More Intraplaque Hemorrhage: The Plaque at Risk Study

Abstract

Background and purpose: Intraplaque hemorrhage contributes to lipid core enlargement and plaque progression, leading to plaque destabilization and stroke. The mechanisms that contribute to the development of intraplaque hemorrhage are not completely understood. A higher incidence of intraplaque hemorrhage and thin/ruptured fibrous cap (upstream of the maximum stenosis in patients with severe [≥70%] carotid stenosis) has been reported. We aimed to noninvasively study the distribution of intraplaque hemorrhage and a thin/ruptured fibrous cap in patients with mild-to-moderate carotid stenosis.

Materials and methods: Eighty-eight symptomatic patients with stroke (<70% carotid stenosis included in the Plaque at Risk study) demonstrated intraplaque hemorrhage on MR imaging in the carotid artery plaque ipsilateral to the side of TIA/stroke. The intraplaque hemorrhage area percentage was calculated. A thin/ruptured fibrous cap was scored by comparing pre- and postcontrast black-blood TSE images. Differences in mean intraplaque hemorrhage percentages between the proximal and distal regions were compared using a paired-samples t test. The McNemar test was used to reveal differences in proportions of a thin/ruptured fibrous cap.

Results: We found significantly larger areas of intraplaque hemorrhage in the proximal part of the plaque at 2, 4, and 6 mm from the maximal luminal narrowing, respectively: 14.4% versus 9.6% (P = .04), 14.7% versus 5.4% (P < .001), and 11.1% versus 2.2% (P = .001). Additionally, we found an increased proximal prevalence of a thin/ruptured fibrous cap on MR imaging at 2, 4, 6, and 8 mm from the MR imaging section with the maximal luminal narrowing, respectively: 33.7% versus 18.1%, P = .007; 36.1% versus 7.2%, P < .001; 33.7% versus 2.4%, P = .001; and 30.1% versus 3.6%, P = .022.

Conclusions: We demonstrated that intraplaque hemorrhage and a thin/ruptured fibrous cap are more prevalent on the proximal side of the plaque compared with the distal side in patients with mild-to-moderate carotid stenosis.