In Vivo Noninvasive Detection and Age Definition of Arterial Thrombus By
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View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Elsevier - Publisher Connector Journal of the American College of Cardiology Vol. 39, No. 8, 2002 © 2002 by the American College of Cardiology Foundation ISSN 0735-1097/02/$22.00 Published by Elsevier Science Inc. PII S0735-1097(02)01754-0 EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES In Vivo Noninvasive Detection and Age Definition of Arterial Thrombus by MRI Roberto Corti, MD,*† Julio I. Osende, MD,*† Zahi A. Fayad, PHD,†‡ John T. Fallon, MD, PHD, FACC,†§ Valentin Fuster, MD, PHD, FACC,† Gabor Mizsei, MS,†‡ Elisha Dickstein, BA,* Burton Drayer, MD,‡ Juan J. Badimon, PHD, FACC*† New York, New York OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential of magnetic resonance (MR) to detect arterial thrombotic obstruction and define thrombus age. BACKGROUND Arterial thrombi underlie the clinical consequences of atherosclerosis and are not reliably detected by current noninvasive diagnostic techniques. METHODS Carotid thrombi were induced in swine (n ϭ 7) by arterial injury. Serial high-resolution in vivo MR images were obtained using black-blood T1-weighted (T1W) and T2-weighted (T2W) sequences in a clinical 1.5T MR system at 6 h, 1 day and at 1, 2, 3, 6 and 9 weeks. At each time point one animal was sacrificed and the occluded carotid artery processed for histopathology. Thrombus signal intensity (SI) was normalized to that of the adjacent muscle. Thrombus age was assessed based on MR appearance by two blinded independent observers. RESULTS Thrombus appearance and relative SI revealed characteristic temporal changes in multicontrast-weighted MR images, reflecting histologic changes in the composition. Acute thrombus appeared very bright on the T2W images, facilitating the detection. Signal intensity was 197 Ϯ 25% at 6 h, peaking at 1 week (246 Ϯ 51%), reaching a plateau by 6 weeks (120 Ϯ 15%). At six weeks, complete thrombus organization was confirmed histologically. The T1W images had similar pattern with lower SI than T2W. Age definition using visual appearance was highly accurate (Pearson’s chi-square with 4 df ranging from 96 to 132 and Cohen’s kappa at 0.81 to 0.94). Agreement between observers was substantial (Pearson chi-square with 4 df ϭ 91.5, kappa ϭ 0.79). CONCLUSIONS Magnetic resonance imaging is a promising tool to noninvasively detect arterial thrombosis. Measurement of SI and the characteristic visual appearance of the thrombus have the potential to define thrombus age. (J Am Coll Cardiol 2002;39:1366–73) © 2002 by the American College of Cardiology Foundation Despite advances in our understanding of the pathogenesis Among the different imaging modalities, magnetic reso- (1,2), newer treatment modalities and increased preventive nance (MR) is emerging as the potential leading noninva- efforts, thrombotic complications of atherosclerosis remain sive in vivo imaging modality for atherosclerosis (10). the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in Western Magnetic resonance differentiates tissue components on the society and are an emerging epidemic in developing coun- basis of biophysical and biochemical parameters such as tries (3). Disruption of atherosclerotic plaques is known to chemical composition, water content, physical state, molec- initiate thrombus formation leading to thrombotic and ular motion or diffusion. We and others have previously thromboembolic events (4–6). Therefore, the detection of reported that MR imaging allows accurate quantification evolving arterial thrombus noninvasively can have signifi- and characterization of atherosclerotic lesions in various cant diagnostic and therapeutic implications. Although arterial beds (11–16). We have reported an anecdotal MR different imaging methods are now clinically available for observation showing time-dependent signal changes in the the diagnosis of luminal narrowing, arterial occlusion and thrombosed false lumen of an aortic dissection in an intramural hematoma (7), arterial thrombi are not reliably atherosclerotic rabbit (17). Recently, MR was used to image detected by current diagnostic techniques. Angioscopy thrombus formation in the abdominal aorta in the athero- (8,9), for instance, is invasive and not widely available. sclerotic rabbit model using a T2-weighted (T2W) MR Intravascular ultrasound and angiography are invasive and sequence (18). use indirect and nonsensitive criteria for thrombus detec- Several groups have previously highlighted the impor- tion. tance of gradient echo MR imaging in the study of cerebral hematoma and venous thrombosis (19,20). Based on our From the *Cardiovascular Biology Research Laboratory, †Cardiovascular Institute, ongoing experience in MR plaque imaging, we specifically Departments of ‡Radiology and §Pathology, Mount Sinai Medical Center, New decided to test multicontrast fast spin echo sequences— York, New York. Supported, in part, by grants from NIH SCOR HL54469 (V. F. which are commonly used for high-resolution MR imaging and J. J. B.) and the Swiss National Research Foundation (R. C.). Manuscript received October 15, 2001; revised manuscript received January 17, of atherosclerotic plaques—for thrombus visualization and 2002, accepted January 28, 2002. characterization of thrombus age. JACC Vol. 39, No. 8, 2002 Corti et al. 1367 April 17, 2002:1366–73 In Vivo MRI of Arterial Thrombosis (Diprivan 1%, Zeneca Pharmaceuticals, Wilmington, Del- Abbreviations and Acronyms aware) followed by continuous infusion of propofol 10 to 15 df ϭ degree of freedom mg/kg/h. Animals were intubated and mechanically venti- LL ϭ Log Likelihood lated with a MR compatible ventilator (pneuPAC, ϭ MR magnetic resonance Broomall, Pennsylvania), were placed supine in the magnet, RBC ϭ red blood cell SI ϭ signal intensity and a customized two-element phased-array surface coil was TE ϭ echo time placed on the neck. Magnetic resonance imaging was TR ϭ repetition time performed using a Signa clinical 1.5T magnet (GE Medical ϭ T1W T1-weighted Systems, Mount Prospect, Illinois) as previously described T2W ϭ T2-weighted 2IR-FSE ϭ double inversion recovery fast spin echo (22) using modified fast spin echo black-blood multicon- trast sequences. After initial gradient echo series to localize the aortic arch and the carotid artery, noncontrast MR We now report the serial in vivo imaging and character- angiography was performed to localize the obstruction with ization of arterial thrombosis in swine using a clinical MR time-of-flight technique. All subsequent imaging used the system. double inversion recovery fast spin echo (2IR-FSE) se- The ability to noninvasively detect thrombotic material in quence for T2W and T1-weighted (T1W) images. The the arterial circulation may improve our knowledge of 2IR-FSE allows nulling of the signal from the flowing pathophysiology in the field of atherothrombosis and may blood and is known as black-blood MR imaging. Contig- permit quantitative monitoring of thrombus growth and uous cross-sectional images were obtained perpendicular to assessment of treatment efficacy over time. Moreover, the the long axis of the neck. The T1W and T2W images were ability to reliably differentiate between recent and old acquired with a repetition time (TR) and echo time (TE) of thrombi may give relevant information for patients’ risk 700 ms/11 ms and 2,000 ms/42 ms, respectively. Further stratification and could allow tailoring of therapeutic ap- MR imaging parameters included: receiver bandwidth proaches. Ϯ62.5 Hz; echo train length 32; 4.4 ms echo spacing; field-of-view 12 ϫ 12 cm; matrix 256ϫ256 (zero-filled METHODS interpolated to 512ϫ512, in order to reduce the partial- volume effects in imaging pixels [23]); and 3-mm slice Model of artery thrombosis in porcine carotid ar- thickness and two signal averages. High-resolution black- teries. Yorkshire albino swine (n ϭ 7, 35 kg) were selected blood MR images of carotid arteries were obtained with an for this study. Anesthetic and surgical preparations for the in-plane resolution of 470 ϫ 470 m2. The addition of a fat carotid injury were performed as previously described (21). suppression pulse allowed an easier detection of the throm- Thrombus formation in the common carotid artery was performed by modification of a previously reported tech- bus. The choice of TR and TE parameters was based on ex nique (21). In brief, we induced: 1) deep arterial injury by 4 vivo and in vivo studies on plaque imaging, as previously to 6 balloon inflations (Titan, Cordis Corp., Miami, Flor- reported (12,14,16,22,24). ida) to 1.5 to 2 times the normal lumen diameter to a Euthanasia and specimen fixation. For histopathologic maximum of 15 atms, followed by, 2) de-endothelialization evaluation of thrombus composition and correlation of the by pullback of the inflated balloon to facilitate thrombus thrombus dimensions with MR imaging, one animal was adhesion, and 3) reduction of blood flow by subocclusive sacrificed at each imaging time point. Animals were sacri- inflation of the balloon proximal to the injured segment ficed within the 12 h after the MR examination. For the until occlusion or subocclusion was confirmed by angiogra- acute time points (6 h and 1 day), the animals were phy (30 to 45 min). After the procedure, animals were sacrificed immediately after MR imaging. transferred to the MR and allowed to recover. To avoid postmortem thrombus formation, heparin (100 The handling, maintenance and care of the animals, as IU/kg) was administered 10 min before euthanasia by well as all the procedures performed in this protocol, were injection of Sleepaway (Fort Dodge Animal Health). After approved by the Mount Sinai School of Medicine Animal euthanasia the carotid arteries were gently rinsed in 0.01 mol/l Management Program and followed the AHA Guidelines phosphate buffer saline and transferred to cold (4°C) 4% for Animal Research. paraformaldehyde solution. Serial cross-sections of the ca- In vivo MR imaging. The injured artery and the contralat- rotid arteries were cut at 3-mm intervals matching corre- eral normal carotid artery were imaged shortly after throm- sponding MR images (described in the following text) and bus induction (Յ6 h), as well as at day 1 and weeks 1, 2, 3, kept in fresh fixative.