Abstract
Distal embolism causing acute ischemic events due to rupture of vulnerable plaques can occur during endovascular therapy, necessitating careful treatment and technique selection. Intraplaque neovascularization (IPN) is a key factor in plaque instability. Detecting intraplaque neovascularization (IPN) greatly aids early screening and diagnosis of vulnerable plaques. Contrast-enhanced dynamic magnetic resonance imaging has shown a rapidly enhancing component indicating neovascularization and a slowly enhancing component indicating fibrous tissue. To our knowledge, no reports have described visualizing plaque contrast effects using dual-energy computed tomography. The rapid enhancement and washout pattern likely reflected neovascularization, whereas the gradual enhancement suggested fibrous components. Reviewing arterial and delayed phase iodine maps from dual-energy computed tomography may help estimate plaque characteristics.