title: Acute coronary syndrome: insight from angioscopy.
abstract: Although the concept of vulnerable plaque has become common, it is still impossible to predict effectively the onset of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Thin-cap fibroatheroma (TCFA) is regarded as vulnerable from pathological studies and various diagnostic tools have tried to detect TCFA clinically but failed to predict ACS. Because there are so many silent plaque ruptures detected, it is supposed that many vulnerable plaques might have ruptured but not caused ACS. Some factor(s) other than the rupture of vulnerable plaque is required for the onset of ACS. "Vulnerable blood" may be one of them. The thrombogenic potential of blood (ie, vulnerable blood) may play an important and determinant role in the onset of ACS, the process of which will be discussed from the angioscopic point of view.
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Division, Osaka Police Hospital, Japan. ueda@oph.gr.jp
authors.forename: Yasunori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ueda
authors.forename: Nobuyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ogasawara
authors.forename: Koushi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matsuo
authors.forename: Shinichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hirotani
authors.forename: Kazunori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kashiwase
authors.forename: Akio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hirata
authors.forename: Mayu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nishio
authors.forename: Takayoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nemoto
authors.forename: Mitsuru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wada
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Masumura
authors.forename: Toshikazu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kashiyama
authors.forename: Shouzou
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Konishi
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakanishi
authors.forename: Yusuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Akazawa
authors.forename: Kazuhisa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kodama
mesh_terms: D054058:Acute Coronary Syndrome / Q000473:pathology*; D017546:Angioscopy; D003328:Coronary Thrombosis / Q000473:pathology*; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous