A “light based biopsy” for high-risk atherosclerotic plaque

Atherosclerosis is a dynamic systemic disease leading to progressive arterial plaque accumulation that is associated with a proportional increase in the risk of major adverse clinical events (MACE). Progression is non-linear and related to cycles of plaque destabilisation, erosion or rupture, which only occasionally result in MACE and mostly are followed by healing1. In clinical practice, healed plaque can be detected using optical coherence tomography (OCT). OCT utilises near infrared light for intra-coronary imaging and has a high resolution (10-20 μm), which is 10-20 times better than intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and 20-40 times better than coronary CT-angiography.
Source: Atherosclerosis - Category: Cardiology Authors: Source Type: research