title: Imaging techniques for the vulnerable coronary plaque.
abstract: The goal of this article is to illustrate the main invasive and noninvasive diagnostic modalities to image the vulnerable coronary plaque, which is responsible for acute coronary syndrome. The main epidemiologic and histological issues are briefly discussed in order to provide an adequate background. Comprehensive coronary atherosclerosis imaging should involve visualization of the entire coronary artery tree and plaque characterization, including three-dimensional morphology, relationship with the lumen, composition, vascular remodelling and presence of inflammation. No single technique provides such a comprehensive description, and no available modality extensively identifies the vulnerable plaque. In particular, we describe multislice computed tomography, which at present seems to be the most promising noninvasive tool for an exhaustive image-based quantification of coronary atherosclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Radiologia e Dipartimento Cuore, Imaging Cardiovascolare Non invasivo, Azienda Ospedaliera di Parma, Viale Rustici 2, I-43100 Parma, Italy. filippocademartiri@hotmail.com
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cademartiri
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: La Grutta
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Palumbo
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Maffei
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aldrovandi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Malagò
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Alberghina
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pugliese
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Runza
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Belgrano
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Midiri
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Cova
authors.forename: G P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Krestin
mesh_terms: D003287:Contrast Media; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012307:Risk Factors; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media