Published in:
01-10-2013 | Clinical Trials and Their Interpretations (J Plutzky, Section Editor)
Imaging Atherosclerosis and Risk of Plaque Rupture
Authors:
Eric A. Osborn, Farouc A. Jaffer
Published in:
Current Atherosclerosis Reports
|
Issue 10/2013
Login to get access
Abstract
Atherosclerosis imaging strategies can delineate characteristics of plaques at risk of rupture and thrombosis. Structural plaque imaging identifies high-risk plaque features, including lipid pools, thin fibrous caps, and intraplaque hemorrhage. New molecular imaging techniques complement structural imaging approaches by illuminating important features of plaque biology, with a prominent focus on detecting inflammation as a high-risk phenotype. As we unravel the molecular and structural characteristics underlying thrombosis-prone plaques, there is significant promise for eventual early identification and prediction of atherosclerotic plaque complications before they occur. Here we focus on recent imaging insights into high-risk arterial plaques, the etiologic agent of acute myocardial infarction, stroke, and sudden cardiac death.