QSM in plaque vulnerability diagnosis – a software tool for early clinical assessment

Introduction

Stroke is the leading cause of disability and the third leading cause of death in the Western World. Over 50% of strokes occur in asymptomatic patients, and therefore better indicators of the disease are required.

Background

These acute asymptomatic cerebrovascular events are due to vulnerable plaque rupture leading to thromboembolic events, stroke, and/or sudden death. From our work to date as part of the ERC Starting grant FibreRemodel, we have found that the most significant contributor to the rupture strength of a plaque is the underlying collagen fibres within this tissue, particularly within the fibrous plaque cap.

Research Findings

The underlying structure of the carotid plaque may therefore be used to determine the risk of vulnerable plaque rupture. However, a non-invasive diagnostic technique, which uses knowledge of in vivo arterial collagen content, has yet to be developed.

Project Goals

VASCOLL will generate the first software tool that can inform on plaque vulnerability in a non-invasive way, enabling early diagnosis of the predisposition of a carotid plaque to rupture and facilitating the selection of the optimum treatment, minimizing the need for surgery and healthcare-associated costs.

Advantages of VASCOLL

This approach will offer a number of significant benefits over current approaches to vulnerable plaque identification:

1. This technique will be the first ex vivo and in vivo application of the QSM technique to human arteries and carotid plaques to exploit the sensitivity of magnetic susceptibility to collagen content in arteries.
2. This technique is relatively easy and efficient to translate in vivo.
3. Given that this method determines the underlying plaque and vessel structure, not merely the level of stenosis, VASCOLL will transform how vulnerable carotid plaques are identified and treated.