title: [Optical coherence tomography].
abstract: Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a recently developed technology capable of micron-scale imaging. Its high resolution (10-20 microm) makes intravascular OCT imaging the most interesting method for assessing atherosclerotic plaque microstructure in patients suffering from coronary artery disease. OCT allowed measurement of the thickness of the plaque fibrous cap, as well as identification of intima, media, and external elastic membrane in patients with normal coronary arteries. However, significant limitations still exist, including poor penetration in non-transparent tissue. The aim of this review is to give an update on OCT on the basis of the existing literature, with an overview of the strong and weak features of this technique.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Interna, Cardioangiologia, Epatologia, Università degli Studi Alma Mater", Bologna. olivia.manfrini@unibo.it
authors.forename: Olivia
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Manfrini
authors.forename: Michela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Slucca
authors.forename: Raffaele
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bugiardini
mesh_terms: D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000473:pathology*; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted; D006801:Humans; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence / Q000379:methods*