Otid coils (Machnet, The Netherlands). Fourteen MRI technologists, trained centrally and certified by the MRI Reading Center, acquired the scans. Total protocol time was much less than one hour [14, 15]. Blackblood MR photos have been acquired by using a twodimensional cardiacgated double inversionrecovery quick spinecho sequence that was determined by a standardized protocol [14] and also the following parameters: field of view, 13 cm; section thickness, 2 mm; matrix, 256 224; echo train length, 10; a single signal acquired; and acquired resolution, 0.51 0.58 2 mm. 3 longaxis blackblood MR imaging sections (repetition time msec/echo time msec/ inversion time msec, two RR intervals/5/600) have been acquired by means of every carotid artery bifurcation by using a timeofflight MR angiogram as a scout image (Figure 1). The blackblood MR image that finest depicted the bifurcation, including the flow divider, was utilized to orient all transverse T1weighted blackblood MR photos. The transverse sections have been acquired (repetition time msec/echo time msec, a single RR interval/5) with chemical suppression of fat signal prior to and 5 minutes after the intravenous injection of gadodiamide (0.1 mmol per kilogram of physique weight; Omniscan, GE Healthcare, Prineton, NJ) using a energy injector. The inversion time was changed to 200 msec for postcontrast pictures to allow blood signal suppression. A transverse T1weighted blackblood MR section was acquired by means of each distal common carotid artery, positioned 1.5 cm below the flow divider, and oriented perpendicular for the vessel axis (Figure 1). Sixteen contrast enhanced transverse T1weighted blackblood MR photos (total longitudinal coverage, 3.2 cm) have been then acquired by means of the carotid bifurcation found to have the greatest maximum wall thickness at the participant’s most recent US examination. In the event the contralateral carotid bifurcation wall appeared thicker to the MR imaging technologist around the MR angiographic source images or extra stenotic on the MR angiographic maximum intensity projection pictures, on the other hand, this vessel was selected for the multisection acquisition. The sections were oriented perpendicular to the vessel axis and centered in the thickest a part of the carotid bifurcation or through the flow divider if no plaque was present. Analyses had been repeated just after excluding 34 vessels that were oriented obliquely (25 ), with practically identical outcomes. We made use of internal carotid artery (ICA)NIHPA Author Manuscript NIHPA Author Manuscript NIHPA Author ManuscriptAtherosclerosis.1083181-22-9 In stock Author manuscript; offered in PMC 2014 May 01.103883-30-3 custom synthesis Subash Shantha et al.PMID:23074147 Pagemeasurements from the section positioned a single section (2 mm) above the flow divider for the present analysis.NIHPA Author Manuscript NIHPA Author Manuscript NIHPA Author ManuscriptImage Analysis Seven analysts have been trained to interpret the MR pictures with semiautomated application (Vessel MASS; Division of Image Processing, Radiology Division, Leiden University Health-related Center, Leiden, the Netherlands). The analysts were blinded to the traits in the study participants. All research were graded for image good quality and adherence for the imaging protocol, and research that failed weren’t analyzed. Postcontrast blackblood MR images have been analyzed by using semiautomated analysis software, as described previously [14, 15]. More than the course in the study, 61 randomly selected participants repeated the entire clinic visit such as the MRI exam within four to eight weeks to estimate total MRI measurement error from b.