title: Visualization of coronary plaque in arterial remodeling using a new 40-MHz intravascular ultrasound imaging system.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to characterize coronary plaque in target lesions with vessel remodeling using iMap-intravascular ultrasound (IVUS).
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The relationship between the plaque component and vessel remodeling remains to be elucidated. iMAP-IVUS is an imaging system that can be used to assess the plaque composition by radiofrequency signals from 40 MHz IVUS.
  
  
  METHODS
  IVUS examinations were performed for the de novo target vessels of 146 stable angina pectoris patients (174 vessels). The patients were divided into two groups: including a nonpositive remodeling group (non-PR, remodeling index ≤ 1.0, 125 vessels) and a positive remodeling group (PR, remodeling index > 1.0, 49 vessels).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The percent plaque burden in the PR group were lager than those in the non-PR group (79.05% vs. 74.36%, P < 0.01). Attenuation plaques were more frequently observed in PR group (40.8% vs. 12.1%, P < 0.0001). The percentages of lipidic and necrotic relative areas at the minimum lumen sites were greater in the PR group than in the non-PR group (7.22% vs. 6.03%, P <0.05 and 22.08% vs. 14.71%, P < 0.001, respectively), and the percentage of the fibrotic area was smaller (54.82% vs. 61.42%, P < 0.05). In addition, a positive linear correlation was observed between the remodeling index and either the lipidic or necrotic area (r = 0.37, P <0.0001 and r = 0.35, P < 0.0001, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The coronary plaque characteristics in PR patients showed increased lipidic and necrotic areas and the degree of coronary remodeling correlated with the lipidic and necrotic plaque area. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Toho University Ohashi Medical Center, Tokyo, Japan. tadashiaraki@yahoo.co.jp
authors.forename: Tadashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Araki
authors.forename: Masato
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Utsunomiya
authors.forename: Kaoru
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sugi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D054059:Coronary Occlusion / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009204:Myocardial Revascularization / Q000379:methods*; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional / Q000295:instrumentation*