Carotid Imaging vs Carotid Plaque Imaging

Carotid Imaging vs Carotid Plaque Imaging

HIGH-RISK PLAQUE (Also Called VULNERABLE PLAQUE):
Our products fill the void created by an ongoing paradigm shift in cardiovascular medicine. Traditional risk factors such as stenosis (vessel blockage) are giving way to direct imaging assessments of the potential plaque rapture which is the primary cause of blocking the vessels downstream. By identifying and characterizing the high-risk features of the plaques themselves, physicians can steer their patients toward the most suitable therapy for their specific plaque type. For more information:

From Vulnerable Plaque to Vulnerable Patient - A Call for New Definitions and Risk Assessment Strategies (consensus report appearing in the journal Circulation)
The BioImage Study: novel approaches to risk assessment in the primary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease--study design and objectives (the High Risk Plaque Initiative, which is using MRI-PlaqueView, appearing in the American Heart Journal)
Treating Arteries Instead of Risk Factors: A Paradigm Change in Management of Atherosclerosis (Stroke 2010)

HIGH-RISK PLAQUE in the CAROTID ARTERY:
A key target in the search for high-risk plaques is the carotid artery, which supplies the brain with blood and is the most common source of ischemic strokes, the #2 killer worldwide. For more infommation

Stroke Education Slide Kit by AHA
Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics -- 2009 Update (At-a-Glance Version) (provides a quick overview of the latest statistics relating to cardiovascular disease, risk factors, quality of care and other topics)

Identification of high-risk plaque in the carotid artery allows preventive interventions, such as Carotid Endarterectomy (CEA), Stenting, and drug treatments, that stabilize the artery before stroke can occur. For More Information:

Histopathology of Carotid Atheroslcerotic Disease (review appearing in the journal Neurosurgery)
Composition of Carotid Atherosclerotic Plaque Is Associated With Cardiovascular Outcome (A prognostic study published on the journal Circulation)
Asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis--medical therapy alone versus medical therapy plus carotid endarterectomy or stenting (A debate on how to treat)

MRI of HIGH-RISK PLAQUE:
Magnetic Resonance Imaging provides a valuable non-invasive tool for probing the features of the atherosclerotic artery wall. MRI provides multiple contrast weightings that exhibit high and variable contrast between tissues. These features have made MRI the de facto standard for characterizing plaque within the carotid artery wall. For More Information:

MRI of carotid atherosclerosis: clinical implications and future directions (review appearing in Nature Reviews)
Looking Beyond the Lumen to Predict Cerebrovascular Events (a Stroke editorial by Winfried A. Willinek, MD)

As further shown by selected publications, applications of carotid plaque MRI that have been developed or are under investigation include: Stroke Risk Prediction (also see our NIH-sponsored multi-centers prospective trial); Pharmaceutical Trials; Populations Studies.

Accurate Assessment of Atherosclerosis for Effective Stroke Prevention