Are high-risk carotid plaque features on MRI associated with subsequent cerebrovascular events in patients with asymptomatic 50% to 79% carotid stenosis?
MRI-detected high-risk plaque features in asymptomatic moderate carotid stenosis are associated with future ischemic cerebrovascular events.
Among patients who initially had an asymptomatic 50% to 79% carotid stenosis, arteries with thinned or ruptured fibrous caps, intraplaque hemorrhage, larger maximum %lipid-rich/necrotic cores, and larger maximum wall thickness by MRI were associated with the occurrence of subsequent cerebrovascular events. Findings from this prospective study provide a basis for larger multicenter studies to assess the risk of plaque features for subsequent ischemic events.
Takaya et al. (2006) studied this question.