title: Thrombosis and morphology of plaque rupture using optical coherence tomography.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Thrombosis following plaque rupture is the main cause of acute coronary syndrome, but not all plaque ruptures lead to thrombosis. There are limited in vivo data on the relationship between the morphology of ruptured plaque and thrombosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used optical coherence tomography (OCT) to investigate the morphology of plaque rupture and its relation to coronary artery thrombosis in patients with coronary heart disease. Forty-two patients with coronary artery plaque rupture detected by OCT were divided into two groups (with or without thrombus) and the morphological characteristics of ruptured plaque, including fibrous cap thickness and broken cap site, were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The fibrous cap of ruptured plaque with thrombus was significantly thinner compared to caps without thrombus ((57.00 ± 17.00) µm vs. (96.00 ± 48.00) µm; P = 0.0076).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Plaque rupture associated with thrombosis occurs primarily in plaque covered by a thin fibrous cap. Thick fibrous caps are associated with greater stability of ruptured plaque.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Yun-Dai
authors.initials: YD
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Hong-Bin
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Lian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Zhi-Jun
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Yi-Hong
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: Qin-Hua
authors.initials: QH
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Chang-Fu
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Bao-Shi
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Lu-Yue
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Gai
authors.forename: Ting-Shu
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D054058:Acute Coronary Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous / Q000150:complications*; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence / Q000379:methods*