Abstract：
BACKGROUND: We aimed to compare conventional vessel wall MR imaging techniques and quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) to determine the optimal sequence for detecting carotid artery calcification.
METHODS: Twenty-two patients who underwent carotid vessel wall MR imaging and neck CT were enrolled. Four slices of 6-mm sections from the bilateral internal carotid bifurcation were subdivided into 4 segments according to clock position (0-3, 3-6, 6-9, and 9-12) and assessed for calcification. Two blinded radiologists independently reviewed a total of 704 segments and scored the likelihood of calcification using a 5-point scale on spin-echo imaging, FLASH, and QSM. The observer performance for detecting calcification was evaluated by a multireader, multiple-case receiver operating characteristic study. Weighted κ statistics were calculated to assess interobserver agreement.
RESULTS: QSM had a mean area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.85, which was significantly higher than that of any other sequence (p < 0.01) and showed substantial interreader agreement (κ = 0.68). A segment with a score of 3-5 was defined as positive, and a segment with a score of 1-2 was defined as negative; the sensitivity and specificity of QSM were 0.75 and 0.87, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS: QSM was the most reliable MR sequence for the detection of plaque calcification.
METHODS: Twenty-two patients who underwent carotid vessel wall MR imaging and neck CT were enrolled. Four slices of 6-mm sections from the bilateral internal carotid bifurcation were subdivided into 4 segments according to clock position (0-3, 3-6, 6-9, and 9-12) and assessed for calcification. Two blinded radiologists independently reviewed a total of 704 segments and scored the likelihood of calcification using a 5-point scale on spin-echo imaging, FLASH, and QSM. The observer performance for detecting calcification was evaluated by a multireader, multiple-case receiver operating characteristic study. Weighted κ statistics were calculated to assess interobserver agreement.
RESULTS: QSM had a mean area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.85, which was significantly higher than that of any other sequence (p < 0.01) and showed substantial interreader agreement (κ = 0.68). A segment with a score of 3-5 was defined as positive, and a segment with a score of 1-2 was defined as negative; the sensitivity and specificity of QSM were 0.75 and 0.87, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS: QSM was the most reliable MR sequence for the detection of plaque calcification.
摘要：
背景：我们旨在比较常规的血管壁MR成像技术和定量磁敏感图（QSM），以确定检测颈动脉钙化的最佳序列。
方法：纳入22例接受颈动脉血管壁MR成像和颈部CT检查的患者。根据时钟位置（0-3、3-6、6-9和9-12），将双侧颈内动脉分叉处的6毫米切片分为4段，并评估钙化。两名失明的放射科医生独立检查了总共704个片段，并在自旋回波成像中使用5点量表对钙化的可能性进行了评分。FLASH,和QSM。观察者检测钙化的性能由多读者评估，多情况接收机工作特性研究。计算加权κ统计量以评估观察者之间的一致性。
结果：QSM的受试者工作特征曲线下平均面积为0.85，显着高于任何其他序列（p＆lt;0.01），并显示出实质性的读者一致性（κ=0.68）。评分为3-5的部分被定义为阳性，1-2分的节段定义为阴性;QSM的敏感性和特异性分别为0.75和0.87.
结论：QSM是检测斑块钙化最可靠的MR序列。
方法：纳入22例接受颈动脉血管壁MR成像和颈部CT检查的患者。根据时钟位置（0-3、3-6、6-9和9-12），将双侧颈内动脉分叉处的6毫米切片分为4段，并评估钙化。两名失明的放射科医生独立检查了总共704个片段，并在自旋回波成像中使用5点量表对钙化的可能性进行了评分。FLASH,和QSM。观察者检测钙化的性能由多读者评估，多情况接收机工作特性研究。计算加权κ统计量以评估观察者之间的一致性。
结果：QSM的受试者工作特征曲线下平均面积为0.85，显着高于任何其他序列（p＆lt;0.01），并显示出实质性的读者一致性（κ=0.68）。评分为3-5的部分被定义为阳性，1-2分的节段定义为阴性;QSM的敏感性和特异性分别为0.75和0.87.
结论：QSM是检测斑块钙化最可靠的MR序列。
