The MRI study of the decrease in carotid plaques with receiving arovastatin therapy

Objective: To detect the carotid plaques with MRI and study the MRI characteristics of them. Also we study the changes of the carotid plaques with receiving atrovastatin therapy to find its therapeutic effect on atherosclerosis plaques. Method: Fifty patients including 33 men and 17 women with carotid plaques detected by carotid ultrasound were selected in this investigation from year December 2006 to February 2008. All of the patients received atrovastatin therapy. All of the patients received atrovastatin therapy for six months. And all of the patients received the carotid artery MRI and carotid ultrasound in the same areas after six months. According to the results of the MRI and ultrasound, the imaging characteristics of carotid plaque were analyzed. And the effects on the type of the carotid plaques wereobserved. And the changes of the mean thickness of the carotid plaques were detected. Results: Before and after the cured with atrovastatin, the mean thickness of the carotid plaques in the unstable group decreased and had statistical significance. In the stable group, the mean thickness of the carotid plaques also decreased., but not had statistical significance. The typing of the carotid plaques changed from unstable plaques to stable plaques. Conclusion: Atrovastatin can decrease lipid in the plaques and improve the type of the carotid plaques. MRI is a potential of the detection method in detecting the typing and characters of the atherosclerosis plaques. (authors)