title: Multi-modal imaging technologies in cardiovascular risk assessment.
abstract: Atherosclerotic plaques can be responsible for life-threatening cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events. Some features of the plaque, such as a thin fibrous cap, large necrotic core, macrophage infiltration, neovascularization, and intraplaque hemorrhage, are associated with a major risk of such events and so their assessment is fundamental. Novel imaging techniques, each one with its own strength and drawbacks, can help in the evaluation and quantification of atherosclerosis. An analysis of the recent literature was carried out. The different techniques were compared by evaluating the accuracy of each one in the detection and assessment of the atherosclerotic plaque's features named above.
authors.affiliation: Emergency Department, Sant'andrea's Hospital, University of Rome La Sapienza, Rome, Italy. emanuelecasciani@gmail.com
authors.forename: Emanuele
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Casciani
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: De Vincentiis
authors.forename: Maria Chiara
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Colaiacomo
authors.forename: Gian Franco
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Gualdi
mesh_terms: D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors