Atherosclerosis imaging using 3D black blood TSE SPACE vs 2D TSE

Figure 3 Scatter plots of total vessel area comparing three-dimensional SPACE and two-dimensional turbo spin echo images. A morphometric analysis using a FDA-approved, customized software program (QPlaque MR, Medis medical imaging systems, The Netherlands) was performed on all carotid, aortic and femoral arterial wall images of 16 patients who were at risk for cardiovascular or atherosclerotic disease for three-dimensional (3D) SPACE and conventional 2D multi contrast turbo spin echo (TSE) sequences. A: Scatter plot of right common carotid (RCC) total vessel area comparing 3D SPACE and 2D TSE images. There was a moderate positive linear correlation (R = 0.437) between the values of the RCC total vessel area obtained from the 3D SPACE and 2D TSE sequences; B: Scatter plot of left common carotid (LCC) total vessel area comparing 3D SPACE and 2D TSE images. There was a moderate positive linear correlation (R = 0.645) between the values of the LCC total vessel area obtained from the 3D SPACE and 2D TSE sequences; C: Scatter plot of aorta total vessel area comparing 3D SPACE and 2D TSE images. There was a strong positive linear correlation (R = 0.954) between the values of the aorta total vessel area obtained from the 3D SPACE and 2D TSE sequences; D: Scatter plot of right femoral (RF) total vessel area comparing 3D SPACE and 2D TSE images. There was a moderate positive linear correlation (R = 0.645) between the values of the RF total vessel area obtained from the 3D SPACE and 2D TSE sequences; E: Scatter plot of left femoral (LF) total vessel area comparing 3D SPACE and 2D TSE images. There was a moderate positive linear correlation (R = 0.687) between the values of the LF total vessel area obtained from the 3D SPACE and 2D TSE sequences.