PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - R. Habibi
AU  - M.M. Lell
AU  - R. Steiner
AU  - S.G. Ruehm
AU  - J.W. Sayre
AU  - K. Nael
AU  - J.P. Finn
TI  - High-Resolution 3T MR Angiography of the Carotid Arteries: Comparison of Manual and Semiautomated Quantification of Stenosis
AID  - 10.3174/ajnr.A1302
DP  - 2009 Jan 01
TA  - American Journal of Neuroradiology
PG  - 46--52
VI  - 30
IP  - 1
4099  - http://www.ajnr.org/content/30/1/46.short
4100  - http://www.ajnr.org/content/30/1/46.full
SO  - Am. J. Neuroradiol.2009 Jan 01; 30
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: High-resolution contrast-enhanced MR angiography (CE-MRA) acquired at 3T exquisitely depict carotid artery (CA) stenosis. In this study, we examined the agreement of different vessel-analysis tools with manual quantitative measurement by 2 readers using CE-MRA data.MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three vessel tools determining the trajectory of the vessel of interest and, subsequently, the vessel dimensions were tested against manual measurements. Diameter and area stenoses were calculated. CE-MRA data of 32 patients with CA stenosis were evaluated. The agreement between different measurements was assessed with κ statistics after categorizing stenosis (<25%, 25%–49%, 50%–69%, 70%–99%, and 100%).RESULTS: The mean grades of stenosis based on diameter measurements were 59% (readers) and 60%/56%/59% based on the analysis with tools A/B/C (P = 0.2–0.7). κ values for agreement between readers and the vessel tools were 0.73/0.77/0.77 (tools A/B/C for all CAs) and 0.66/0.74/0.75 (for the symptomatic side). The mean grades of stenoses based on area measurements for tools A/B/C were 68%/63%/69% versus 58% for readers. Values from readers differed significantly from those for tools A and C (P < 0.01). κ values for agreement between readers and the vessel tools were 0.66/0.55/0.64 (for all CAs) and 0.53/0.44/0.57 (for the symptomatic side).CONCLUSIONS: The automated approach allows accurate assessment of vessel dimensions in MRA images at least for diameter measurements according to the North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial criteria.