• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• 제21권9호
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• pp.1055-1064
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• 2020

Objective: To assess the incremental prognostic value of coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) in comparison to a clinical risk model (Framingham risk score, FRS) and coronary artery calcium score (CACS) for future cardiac events in ischemic stroke patients without chest pain. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included 1418 patients with acute stroke who had no previous cardiac disease and underwent CCTA, including CACS. Stenosis degree and plaque types (high-risk, non-calcified, mixed, or calcified plaques) were assessed as CCTA variables. High-risk plaque was defined when at least two of the following characteristics were observed: low-density plaque, positive remodeling, spotty calcification, or napkin-ring sign. We compared the incremental prognostic value of CCTA for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) over CACS and FRS. Results: The prevalence of any plaque and obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) (stenosis ≥ 50%) were 70.7% and 30.2%, respectively. During the median follow-up period of 48 months, 108 patients (7.6%) experienced MACE. Increasing FRS, CACS, and stenosis degree were positively associated with MACE (all p < 0.05). Patients with high-risk plaque type showed the highest incidence of MACE, followed by non-calcified, mixed, and calcified plaque, respectively (log-rank p < 0.001). Among the prediction models for MACE, adding stenosis degree to FRS showed better discrimination and risk reclassification compared to FRS or the FRS + CACS model (all p < 0.05). Furthermore, incorporating plaque type in the prediction model significantly improved reclassification (integrated discrimination improvement, 0.08; p = 0.023) and showed the highest discrimination index (C-statistics, 0.85). However, the addition of CACS on CCTA with FRS did not add to the prediction ability for MACE (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Assessment of stenosis degree and plaque type using CCTA provided additional prognostic value over CACS and FRS to risk stratify stroke patients without prior history of CAD better.

• 대한영상의학회지
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• 제81권3호
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• pp.739-745
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• 2020

경동맥 혈관성형술 및 스텐트삽입술과 관련된 주요 합병증은 시술 도중 발생하는 원위부 뇌색전증으로 이를 방지하기 위해 색전예방장치가 개발되었다. 그러나 취약한 죽상경화반을 가진 환자의 경우 색전예방장치를 사용한 경동맥 혈관성형술 및 스텐트삽입술 후 뇌 색전증의 위험은 논란의 여지가 있으며, 색전예방장치의 사용에도 불구하고 무증상 또는 증상이 있는 뇌졸중이 발생한다. 저자들은 지방이 풍부한 괴사성 핵과 경화반 내 출혈이 있는 취약한 죽상경화반의 원위 필터형 색전예방장치를 이용한 내경동맥의 스텐트 시술 후 발생한 다량의 뇌 미세혈전의 증례를 보고하고자 한다.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• 제20권5호
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• pp.729-738
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• 2019

Objective: To assess the effects of iterative model reconstruction (IMR) on image quality for demonstrating non-calcific high-risk plaque characteristics of coronary arteries. Materials and Methods: This study included 66 patients (53 men and 13 women; aged 39-76 years; mean age, 55 ± 13 years) having single-vessel disease with predominantly non-calcified plaques evaluated using prospective electrocardiogram-gated 256-slice CT angiography. Paired image sets were created using two types of reconstruction: hybrid iterative reconstruction (HIR) and IMR. Plaque characteristics were compared using the two algorithms. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of the images and the CNR between the plaque and adjacent adipose tissue were also compared between the two reformatted methods. Results: Seventy-seven predominantly non-calcified plaques were detected. Forty plaques showed napkin-ring sign with the IMR reformatted method, while nineteen plaques demonstrated napkin-ring sign with HIR. There was no statistically significant difference in the presentation of positive remodeling, low attenuation plaque, and spotty calcification between the HIR and IMR reconstructed methods (all p > 0.5); however, there was a statistically significant difference in the ability to discern the napkin-ring sign between the two algorithms (χ² = 12.12, p < 0.001). The image noise of IMR was lower than that of HIR (10 ± 2 HU versus 12 ± 2 HU; p < 0.01), and the SNR and CNR of the images and the CNR between plaques and surrounding adipose tissues on IMR were better than those on HIR (p < 0.01). Conclusion: IMR can significantly improve image quality compared with HIR for the demonstration of coronary artery and atherosclerotic plaques using a 256-slice CT.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제54권2호
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• pp.93-99
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• 2013

Objective : Neurologic complications during carotid artery stenting (CAS) are usually associated with distal embolic event. These embolic incident during CAS are highly associated with the carotid plaque instability. The current study was undertaken to identify the angiographic characteristics of carotid plaque vulnerability, which was represented as filling defect in the cerebral protection filters during CAS. Methods : A total of 107 patients underwent CAS with use of a distal protection filter. Angiographic carotid plaque surface morphology was classified as smooth, irregular, and ulcerated. To determine predictable factors of filling defect in the protection filters, 11 variables were retrospectively analyzed which might influence filling defect in the protection filters during CAS. Results : Filling defects during CAS were presented in the 33 cerebral protection filters. In multivariate analysis, angiographic ulceration [odds ratio (OR), 6.60; 95% confidence interval (CI) : 2.24, 19.4; p=0.001], higher stenosis degree (OR, 1.06; 95% CI : 1.00, 1.12; p=0.039), and coexistent thrombus (OR, 7.58; 95% CI : 1.69, 34.05; p=0.08) were highly associated with filling defect in the cerebral protection devices during CAS. Among several variables, angiographic surface ulceration was the only significant factor associated with flow stagnation during CAS (OR, 4.11; 95% CI : 1.33, 12.72; p=0.014). Conclusion : Plaque surface morphology on carotid angiography can be a highly sensitive marker of plaque instability during CAS. The independent risk factors for filling defect in the filter devices during CAS were plaque ulceration, stenosis degree, and coexistent thrombus.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제63권2호
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• pp.178-187
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• 2020

Objective : The extensive vasa vasorum network functions as a conduit for the entry of inflammatory cells or factors that promote the progression of angiogenesis and plaque formation. Therefore, we investigated the correlation between the carotid vasa vasorum activities and carotid plaque vulnerability using indocyanine green video angiography (ICG-VA) during carotid endarterectomy (CEA). Methods : Sixty-nine patients who underwent CEA were enrolled prospectively from September 2015 to December 2017. During CEA, a bolus of ICG was injected intravenously before and after resecting the atheroma. Additionally, we performed immunohistochemistry using CD68 (a surface marker of macrophages), CD117 (a surface marker of mast cells), and CD4 and CD8 (surface markers of T-cells) antibodies to analyze the resected plaque specimens. Results : The density of active vasa vasorum was observed in all patients using ICG-VA. The vasa vasorum externa (VVE) and interna (VVI) were seen in 11 (16%) and 57 patients (82.6%), respectively. Macroscopically, the VVE-type patterns were strongly associated with preoperative angiographic instability (81.8%, p=0.005) and carotid plaque vulnerability (90.9%, p=0.017). In contrast, the VVI-type patterns were weakly associated with angiographic instability (31.6%) and plaque vulnerability (49.1%). CD68-stained macrophages and CD117-stained mast cells were observed more frequently in unstable plaques than in stable plaques (p<0.0001, p=0.002, respectively). Conclusion : The early appearance of VVE, along with the presence of many microvessel channels that provided nutrients to the developing and expanding atheroma during ICG-VA, was strongly associated with unstable carotid plaques. The degree of infiltration of macrophages and mast cells is possibly related to the formation of unstable plaques.

• 대한의생명과학회지
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• 제21권4호
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• pp.198-207
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• 2015

ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and chronic total occlusion (CTO) of coronary artery are well-known atherosclerotic vascular diseases. However, the difference of intima-media thickness and plaque characteristics of carotid arteries between STEMI and CTO patients were not directly compared in previous studies. Medical records of a total of 158 (101 STEMI, 57 CTO) patients, who underwent carotid artery ultrasonography, were selected for the analysis. The baseline characteristics, ultrasonography findings, and clinical outcomes of the two groups were compared. The prevalence of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and dyslipidemia was significantly higher in CTO patients. Carotid intima-media thickness ($0.97{\pm}0.13$ vs. $0.78{\pm}0.17cm$, P < 0.0001) and number of plaques ($2.2{\pm}1.0$ vs. $1.7{\pm}1.2$, P < 0.0001) were greater in CTO than STEMI patients. Multiple (${\geq}3$) or echogenic plaques were more frequently observed in CTO patients. During the median follow-up duration of 27 months, major adverse cardiovascular events occurred in 31% of CTO and 14% of STEMI patients (P = 0.008). We found that, compared with STEMI, CTO patients have higher burden of carotid artery atherosclerosis associated with more comorbid diseases and poor clinical outcomes.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• 제23권3호
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• pp.333-342
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• 2022

Objective: Intracranial atherosclerotic stroke occurs through various mechanisms, mainly by artery-to-artery embolism (AA) or branch occlusive disease (BOD). This study evaluated the spatial relationship between middle cerebral artery (MCA) plaques and perforating arteries among different MCA territory infarction types using vessel wall magnetic resonance imaging (VW-MRI). Materials and Methods: We retrospectively enrolled patients with acute MCA infarction who underwent VW-MRI. Thirty-four patients were divided into three groups according to infarction pattern: 1) BOD, 2) both BOD and AA (BOD-AA), and 3) AA. To determine the factors related to BOD, the BOD and BOD-AA groups were combined into one group (with striatocapsular infarction [BOD+]) and compared with the AA group. To determine the factors related to AA, the BOD-AA and AA groups were combined into another group (with cortical infarction [AA+]) and compared with the BOD group. Plaque morphology and the spatial relationship between the perforating artery orifice and plaque were evaluated both quantitatively and qualitatively. Results: The plaque margin in the BOD+ group was closer to the perforating artery orifice than that in the AA group (p = 0.011), with less enhancing plaque (p = 0.030). In the BOD group, plaques were mainly located on the dorsal (41.2%) and superior (41.2%) sides where the perforating arteries mainly arose. No patient in the AA group had overlapping plaques with perforating arteries at the cross-section where the perforator arose. Perforating arteries associated with culprit plaques were most frequently located in the middle two-thirds of the M1 segment (41.4%). The AA+ group had more stenosis (%) than the BOD group (39.73 ± 24.52 vs. 14.42 ± 20.96; p = 0.003). Conclusion: The spatial relationship between the perforating artery orifice and plaque varied among different types of MCA territory infarctions. In patients with BOD, the plaque margin was closer and blocked the perforating artery orifice, and stenosis degree and enhancement were less than those in patients with AA.

• 대한영상의학회지
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• 제85권2호
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• pp.270-296
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• 2024

관상동맥 CT 조영술은 높은 정확도로 유의한 관상동맥 협착을 발견할 수 있어 관상동맥 질환이 의심되는 환자들에서 침습적 관상동맥 조영술의 문지기로서의 역할을 인정받고 있다. 그러나 관상동맥에 과도한 석회화 경화반이 있으면 내강을 시각화하기 어려워 영상의 해석에 오류를 초래할 수 있다. 이는 주로 CT 스캐너의 제한적인 공간 해상도로 인해 석회화 경화반에 의한 번짐허상이 발생하기 때문이다. 그럼에도 불구하고, 높은 칼슘 점수를 보이는 CT 영상에서 관상동맥 협착을 평가해야 하는 상황을 종종 마주한다. 이러한 한계를 극복하기 위한 기술적인 방법으로 고해상도 CT 스캐너의 도입, 새로운 재구성 기법 및 후처리 기술의 개발, 감산기법 등이 있으며, 판독에 도움이 되는 방법으로 적절한 창너비 및 창높이의 설정, 혈관의 단면 영상에서 석회화 경화반의 범위 및 내강의 잔류 가시성 평가 등이 권고된다.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제49권6호
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• pp.370-372
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• 2011

Dissection of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) is less frequent compared with dissection of the vertebrobasilar system or carotid artery. Recently, high-resolution cross sectional MR imaging (HRMRI) has emerged as a potential technique for atherosclerotic plaque imaging in MCA, We introduce the findings of HRMRI in a 56-year-old woman with traumatic MCA dissection, HRMRI showed an intimal flap and tapered pseudolumen with intra-luminal hemorrhage, We performed stent deployment about MCA dissection after failed medical treatment Three months later, there was no in-stent restenosis and no further neurological deficit were noted.

• 대한예방한의학회지
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• 제4권2호
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• pp.205-213
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• 2000

The oxidative modification of low density lipoprotein(LDL) has been implicated in the development of atherosclerosis . Oxidized LDL(oxLDL) are found in macrophage foam cell , and it can induce an macrophage proliferation in atherosclerotic plaque. In this study, we investigated the hypothesis that Tokhwalkisaengtang(TK) may reduce atherosclerosis by lowering the oxidizability of LDL, To achieve this goal, we examined the effect of TK on LDL oxidation, nitric oxide production in murine macrophage cell line , and the effect of TK on cupuric sulfate-induced cytotoxicity. LDH release, and macrophage activity TK inhibited the generation of oxLDL from native LDL in macrophage cell culture, and decreased the release of LDH from cupric sulfate-stimulated macrophage. In other experiments, TK activated macrophase cell, and increased the survival rate, and enhanced nitric oxide production in macrophage.