Association between spontaneous internal carotid artery dissection and perivascular adipose tissue attenuation on computed tomography angiography
Journal
International Journal of Stroke
ISSN
1747-4930
1747-4949
Date Issued
2023
Author(s)
Kevin Cheng
Andrew Lin
Tomas Bernstein
Paulo Zuñiga
Gonzalo Martinez
William Cameron
Stephen J Nicholls
Sanjay Patel
Damini Dey
Dennis TL Wong
Type
Resource Types::text::journal::journal article
DOI
URL
Abstract
<jats:sec><jats:title>Background:</jats:title><jats:p> Spontaneous cervical artery dissection (sCAD) is a leading cause of ischemic stroke in young patients. Studies using high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography have suggested vessel wall inflammation to be a pathogenic factor in sCAD. Computed tomography (CT) attenuation of perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) is an established non-invasive imaging biomarker of inflammation in coronary arteries, with higher attenuation values reflecting a greater degree of vascular inflammation. </jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Objectives:</jats:title><jats:p> We evaluate the CT attenuation of PVAT surrounding the internal carotid artery (PVAT<jats:sub>carotid</jats:sub>) with and without spontaneous dissection. </jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods:</jats:title><jats:p> Single-center prospective observational study of 56 consecutive patients with CT-verified spontaneous dissection of the internal carotid artery (ICA). Of these patients, six underwent follow-up computed tomography angiography (CTA). Twenty-two patients who underwent CTA for acute neurological symptoms but did not have dissection formed the control group. Using semi-automated research software, PVAT<jats:sub>carotid</jats:sub> was measured as the mean Hounsfield unit (HU) attenuation of adipose tissue within a defined volume of interest surrounding the ICA. </jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results:</jats:title><jats:p> PVAT<jats:sub>carotid</jats:sub> was significantly higher around dissected ICA compared with non-dissected contralateral ICA in the same patients (−58.7 ± 10.2 vs −68.9 ± 8.1 HU, p &lt; 0.0001) and ICA of patients without dissection (−58.7 ± 10.2 vs −69.3 ± 9.3 HU, p &lt; 0.0001). After a median follow-up of 89 days, there was a significant reduction in PVAT<jats:sub>carotid</jats:sub> around dissected ICA (−57.5 ± 13.4 to −74.3 ± 10.5 HU, p &lt; 0.05), while no change was observed around non-dissected contralateral ICA (−71.0 ± 4.4 to −74.1 ± 4.1 HU, p = 0.19). ICA dissection was an independent predictor of PVAT<jats:sub>carotid</jats:sub> following multivariable adjustment for age and the presence of ICA occlusion. </jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusion:</jats:title><jats:p> PVAT<jats:sub>carotid</jats:sub> is elevated in the presence of sCAD and may decrease following the acute event. </jats:p></jats:sec>