Gadolinium contrast agent

All the subjects underwent brain MRI on a 3.0T whole-body scanner (Philips Ingenia, Philips Healthcare, Best, The Netherlands). The MR protocol included three-dimensional time-of-flight (3D-TOF) MRA and 3D MR-VWI. The imaging parameters of these sequences were as follows: (1) 3D-TOF MRA: TR/TE: 23/3.5 ms, flip angle 18°, field of view 199 mm × 199 mm; slice thickness 1.2 mm, and acquisition matrix 500 × 332; (2) T1WI volume isotropic turbo spin-echo acquisition (T1-VISTA): coronal imaging orientation, TR/TE 500/25 ms, TSE factor 45, with variable flip angle, number of slices 120, FOV 230 m × 250 mm × 50 mm, voxel size 0.6 × 0.6 × 0.6 mm, scan time 7 min 10 s; (3) Simultaneous Non-contrast Angiography and intraPlaque hemorrhage (SNAP): FFE, TR/TE 9.9/4.8 ms, flip angle 11/5°. Post-contrast T1-VISTA images were acquired 5 min after intravenous gadolinium contrast agent (Bayer Schering Pharma AG, Germany) injection (with a dose of 0.1 mmol/kg, at a rate of 1.5 ml/s) with similar imaging parameters as pre-contrast. DWI and T2-FLAIR were used for infarct identification.

Imaging was performed with a 1.5 Tesla Siemens Somatom Definition scanner (Siemens AG, Erlangen, Germany). Short axis multislice cine TRUE FISP series of the heart were obtained for LV function analysis. In addition, post contrast series using gadolinium contrast agent (Bayer AG, Leverkusen, Germany) were obtained for the detection of late enhancement, a parameter to objectify ischemic changes of the myocardium.