A High-Resolution Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study to Evaluate the Effect of Rosuvastatin on Carotid Atherosclerotic Plaques

The aim of this study is to assess whether high intensive statin therapy could regress carotid atherosclerotic plaques as determined by High-Resolution Contrast Enhanced Magnetic Resonance imaging (CE-MRI). Enrolled patients have a baseline CE-MRI examination for screening carotid atherosclerotic plaques and are randomized to either low dose of Rosuvastatin (5mg) group or high dose of Rosuvastatin (20mg) group. After 26 weeks, all patients received CE-MRI examination again and each pair of baseline and follow-up CE-MRI assessments was analyzed in a blinded fashion. Moreover, lipid level and major adverse cardiovascular events are also evaluated during follow-up.