Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is considered the gold standard for non-invasive evaluation of carotid artery plaque morphology and composition. A number of studies have demonstrated the clinical utility of MR plaque imaging in the risk stratification of carotid atherosclerotic disease, determination of stroke etiology, and identification of surgical and endovascular candidates for carotid revascularization procedures. The MR plaque imaging also provides researchers and clinicians with valuable insights into the pathogenesis, natural history and composition of carotid atherosclerotic disease. Nevertheless, the field of MR plaque imaging is complex, and requires a thorough knowledge of the histologic basis for how various plaque features appear on imaging. This article details the pathogenesis and histology of atherosclerosis, reviews the expected appearance of different plaque components, and describes how MR imaging features may be related to symptomatology or predict future ischemic events.

磁共振 (MR) 成像被认为是对颈动脉斑块形态和组成进行无创评估的金标准。许多研究已经证明了 MR 斑块成像在颈动脉粥样硬化疾病的风险分层、中风病因的确定以及颈动脉血运重建手术的手术和血管内候选者的鉴定方面的临床效用。MR 斑块成像还为研究人员和临床医生提供了有关颈动脉粥样硬化疾病的发病机制、自然史和组成的宝贵见解。然而，MR 斑块成像领域是复杂的，需要全面了解各种斑块特征如何在成像上出现的组织学基础。本文详细介绍了动脉粥样硬化的发病机制和组织学，