title: Assessing atherosclerotic plaque morphology: comparison of optical coherence tomography and high frequency intravascular ultrasound.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  OCT can image plaque microstructure at a level of resolution not previously demonstrated with other imaging techniques because it uses infrared light rather than acoustic waves.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare optical coherence tomography (OCT) and intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) imaging of in vitro atherosclerotic plaques.
  
  
  METHODS
  Segments of abdominal aorta were obtained immediately before postmortem examination. Images of 20 sites from five patients were acquired with OCT (operating at an optical wavelength of 1300 nm which was delivered to the sample through an optical fibre) and a 30 MHz ultrasonic transducer. After imaging, the microstructure of the tissue was assessed by routine histological processing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  OCT yielded superior structural information in all plaques examined. The mean (SEM) axial resolution of OCT and IVUS imaging was 16 (1) and 110 (7), respectively, as determined by the point spread function from a mirror. Furthermore, the dynamic range of OCT was 109 dB compared with 43 dB for IVUS imaging.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  OCT represents a promising new technology for intracoronary imaging because of its high resolution, broad dynamic range, and ability to be delivered through intravascular catheters.
authors.affiliation: Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Brezinski
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Tearney
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Weissman
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Boppart
authors.forename: B E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Bouma
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Hee
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Weyman
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Swanson
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Southern
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Fujimoto
mesh_terms: D001012:Aorta, Abdominal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007259:Infrared Rays; D014054:Tomography / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional