OBJECTIVES This study aims to evaluate the reproducibility of measures of plaque morphology in serially acquired black-blood MRI of untreated atherosclerotic femoral arteries. MATERIALS AND METHODS MR studies was obtained from 42 timepoints, on 12 patients with known femoral artery atherosclerosis. Images with a 3D isotropic FLASH with DANTE-prepared black blood contrast (DASH) at a 3-T scanner were acquired at baseline, within 1 week, and at 1 month. Six of the patients were scanned additionally at 6 months. Inter-scan and inter-observer variations of arterial area/volume measurements were evaluated. RESULTS Measurement of vessel area, lumen area, wall area and wall volume showed inter-scan intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) ranging from 0.92 to 0.97 for 3 scans, 0.91-0.97 for 4 scans, and inter-observer ICCs of 0.89-0.96. Among 3 scans, the coefficients of variance (CV) for the vessel area, lumen area, wall area and wall volume were 4.1%, 6.5%, 7.5%, and 4.4%. CVs among 4 scans ranged from 4.4% to 7.9%, and interobserver CVs ranged from 6.1% to 11.8% for the different area/volume measurements. CONCLUSION DASH MRI is useful for quantifying atherosclerotic vessel area and volume of femoral arteries with low variability among serial repeated scans and between observers.

中文翻译：

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动脉粥样硬化负荷的定量测量：动脉粥样硬化股动脉系列研究的可重复性。

目的 本研究旨在评估未经治疗的动脉粥样硬化股动脉连续获得的黑血 MRI 中斑块形态测量的可重复性。材料和方法 从 42 个时间点获得 12 名已知股动脉粥样硬化患者的 MR 研究。在基线、1 周内和 1 个月时，在 3-T 扫描仪上使用带有 DANTE 制备的黑色血液对比 (DASH) 的 3D 各向同性 FLASH 获取图像。其中 6 名患者在 6 个月时进行了额外扫描。评估了动脉面积/体积测量的扫描间和观察者间变化。结果 血管面积、管腔面积、壁面积和壁体积的测量显示，3 次扫描的扫描间类内相关系数 (ICC) 为 0.92 至 0.97，4 次扫描为 0.91-0.97，观察者间 ICC 为 0.89-0.96。在 3 次扫描中，血管面积、管腔面积、壁面积和壁体积的变异系数 (CV) 分别为 4.1%、6.5%、7.5% 和 4.4%。4 次扫描之间的 CV 范围从 4.4% 到 7.9%，对于不同的面积/体积测量，观察者间 CV 范围从 6.1% 到 11.8%。结论 DASH MRI 可用于量化动脉粥样硬化血管面积和股动脉体积，在连续重复扫描和观察者之间具有低变异性。