title: Spontaneous plaque rupture and thrombus formation in the left main coronary artery documented by intravascular ultrasound.
abstract: This case documents the finding of a spontaneous plaque rupture with thrombus formation in the left main coronary artery of a patient who presented with an infarction of the circumflex artery. This serendipitous observation supports the hypothesis that spontaneous plaque ruptures occur sporadically and do not necessarily lead to occlusion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, USA.
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Tobis
mesh_terms: D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D003328:Coronary Thrombosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D017131:Thrombectomy; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional