COMMENTARY

Abstract

In the first Highlights of 2015 it is appropriate to look back at 2014 and see what has been deemed the best of the best in Radiology Research.  In this regard the Margulis Prize that is awarded to the best original paper published in Radiology in a calendar year is a good (if somewhat western centric) measure.  For 2014 this was awarded to Zavodni et al for their paper of plaque morphology.  Atherosclerosis is a major killer all over the world but particularly in our population with the high incidence of diabetes and hypertension reaching epidemic proportions.  Carotid artery disease is a significant cause of neurological morbidity.  All interventions (other than medical therapy) are associated with a risk and therefore there has been a constant search to identify those patients that will benefit from the interventions.  Currently most decisions are based of percentage stenosis of the vessel.  However we know that this is not a perfect system.  In this context this paper contributes valuable knowledge regarding the risk of neurological events based on the morphological characteristics rather than size alone.