Overview

Carotid atherosclerotic plaque rupture is the main cause of ischemic stroke attacks, and early and precise assessment of plaque vulnerability can prevent ischemic stroke. High-resolution MRI can reflect vulnerable plaque features such as thin fibrous caps and large lipid cores, but cannot assess their metabolic information; Fibro-activated proteins (FAPs) of PET are specifically expressed in atherosclerosis and suggest vulnerable plaques by reflecting inflammation-induced fibrosis. The aim of this study was to apply 18F FDG&68Ga-FAPI PET/MR imaging to investigate the vulnerability of carotid atherosclerotic plaques, to obtain quantitative evaluation indexes of active fibrosis within carotid plaques, and to clarify the PET/MR characteristics of unstable plaques in carotid arteries

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

-Age between 18 and 80 years; Presence of carotid atherosclerotic plaque confirmed by ultrasound within the past two weeks, with carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) ≥ 2 mm (IMT ≥ 1.2 mm is defined as carotid atherosclerosis) or carotid artery stenosis ≥ 50% as indicated by CTA.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Absolute or relative contraindications related to PET/MR imaging safety (e.g., metallic implants, MRI phobia, etc.); Patients who have undergone carotid endarterectomy (CEA) or carotid artery stenting (CAS); Pregnant or lactating women; Presence of other vascular diseases, such as vasculitis, moyamoya disease, arterial dissection, etc.; Severe agitation or inability to cooperate with imaging procedures.