Patent ID: 7328056

Claim:
A computerized method for classifying plaque in a blood vessel of a living subject comprising the steps of: implementing a magnetic resonance imaging sequence to obtain data representing a first magnetic resonance image with a first intensity distribution of a cross-section of a vessel containing plaque in a living subject; injecting contrast agent that interacts with said plaque into the vascular system of said subject, said contrast agent interacting non-uniformly with said plaque with respect to time and thus producing different intensity distributions in said plaque in a time period; in said time period, re-implementing said magnetic resonance imaging sequence to obtain data representing a second magnetic resonance image of said cross-section of said vessel and said plaque therein with a second intensity distribution after a first time duration following injection of said contrast agent; in said time period, again re-implementing said magnetic resonance imaging sequence to obtain data representing a third magnetic resonance image of said cross-section of said vessel and said plaque therein with a third intensity distribution after a second time duration following injection of said contrast agent, said second and third intensity distributions differing from each other due to said non-uniform interaction of said contrast agent with said plaque in said time period; and in a computer, classifying said plaque dependent on said first, second and third intensity distributions to produce a classification result and presenting said classification result in a visually perceptible display at said computer.