Near-infrared spectroscopic characterization of human advanced atherosclerotic plaques.
OBJECTIVES; Living human carotid atherosclerotic plaques were examined in vitro by near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy to determine the spectral features of plaque vulnerability.


BACKGROUND
Plaque disruption, a major cause of heart attacks and strokes, cannot generally be predicted, but is thought to depend mainly on plaque composition. Near-infrared spectroscopy has been used to detect components in tissues noninvasively.


METHODS
Using an NIR spectrometer fitted with a fiberoptic probe, living human carotid atherosclerotic plaques (from 25 patients) were examined ex vivo for plaque vulnerability. The plaques were cut into smaller sections according to their gross pathologic features, and NIR measurements were done at 20 degrees C, usually within 10 min.


RESULTS
According to the American Heart Association's recommended classification scheme, the lesions were classified into three groups: the first group comprised of vulnerable type V/VI lesions; the second group, stable type I/II lesions; and the third (intermediate) group, mainly type III/IV lesions. Cluster analysis of the specimens' NIR spectra identified three major composition groups in each of the three NIR spectral regions: 2,200 to 2,330 nm, 1,620 to 1,820 nm and 1,130 to 1,260 nm. Calculation of the lipid/protein ratios in each group at two NIR regions (2,200 to 2,330 nm) revealed ratios of 1.49 +/- 1.20, 2.12 +/- 1.00 and 3.37 +/- 0.88 for type I/II, type III/IV and advanced type V/VI lesions, respectively (p < 0.03). At 1,620 to 1,820 nm, the respective ratios for these histologic groups were 0.57 +/- 0.21, 1.54 +/- 0.46 and 2.40 +/- 0.44 (p < 0.00003).


CONCLUSIONS
The good ex vivo discrimination of histologically vulnerable and stable plaques in this study suggests that NIR spectroscopy has the potential to identify vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques in vivo.
Wang
Jing
J
Vascular Cell Biology Laboratory, Texas Heart Institute, Houston, Texas, USA.
Geng
Yong-Jian
YJ
Guo
Bujin
B
Klima
Tomas
T
Lal
Birendra N
BN
Willerson
James T
JT
Casscells
Ward
W
D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D017536:Carotid Artery, Common / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004285:Dogs; D016894:Endarterectomy, Carotid; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D011506:Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D019265:Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared
D008055:Lipids; D011506:Proteins