This scientific statement is intended for use by physicians and allied health personnel caring
for patients with transient ischemic attacks. Formal evidence review included a structured …

“Vulnerable” plaques are atherosclerotic plaques that have a high likelihood to cause
thrombotic complications, such as myocardial infarction or stroke. Plaques that tend to progress …

Stroke represents a massive public health problem. Carotid atherosclerosis plays a fundamental
part in the occurence of ischaemic stroke. European and US guidelines for prevention …

Background— Recent studies demonstrated that in vivo and ex vivo MRI can characterize the
components of the carotid atherosclerotic plaque, such as fibrous tissue, lipid/necrotic core…

Background High-resolution MRI has been shown to be capable of identifying plaque
constituents, such as the necrotic core and intraplaque hemorrhage, in human carotid …

Background and Purpose— MRI is able to quantify carotid plaque size and composition with
good accuracy and reproducibility and provides an opportunity to prospectively examine …

Objective— This study evaluates the ability of MRI to quantify all major carotid atherosclerotic
plaque components in vivo. Methods and Results— Thirty-one subjects scheduled for …

Background—The results of studies of advanced lesions of atherosclerosis suggest that the
thickness of the fibrous cap that overlies the necrotic core distinguishes the stable lesion …

Background— Previous studies suggest that erythrocyte membranes from intraplaque
hemorrhage into the necrotic core are a source of free cholesterol and may become a driving force …

Background— High-resolution MRI has been shown to be capable of distinguishing intact,
thick fibrous caps from thin and ruptured caps in human carotid atherosclerosis in vivo. The …