title: Temporal evolution of strut light intensity after implantation of bioresorbable polymeric intracoronary scaffolds in the ABSORB cohort B trial-an application of a new quantitative method based on optical coherence tomography.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Quantitative light intensity analysis of the strut core by optical coherence tomography (OCT) may enable assessment of changes in the light reflectivity of the bioresorbable polymeric scaffold from polymer to provisional matrix and connective tissues, with full disappearance and integration of the scaffold into the vessel wall. The aim of this report was to describe the methodology and to apply it to serial human OCT images post procedure and at 6, 12, 24 and 36 months in the ABSORB cohort B trial.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In serial frequency-domain OCT pullbacks, corresponding struts at different time points were identified by 3-dimensional foldout view. The peak and median values of light intensity were measured in the strut core by dedicated software. A total of 303 corresponding struts were serially analyzed at 3 time points. In the sequential analysis, peak light intensity increased gradually in the first 24 months after implantation and reached a plateau (relative difference with respect to baseline [%Dif]: 61.4% at 12 months, 115.0% at 24 months, 110.7% at 36 months), while the median intensity kept increasing at 36 months (%Dif: 14.3% at 12 months, 75.0% at 24 months, 93.1% at 36 months).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Quantitative light intensity analysis by OCT was capable of detecting subtle changes in the bioresorbable strut appearance over time, and could be used to monitor the bioresorption and integration process of polylactide struts.
authors.affiliation: Thoraxcenter, Department of Cardiology, Erasmus MC.
authors.forename: Shimpei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakatani
authors.forename: Yoshinobu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Onuma
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ishibashi
authors.forename: Jeroen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Eggermont
authors.forename: Yao-Jun
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Carlos M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Campos
authors.forename: Yun Kyeong
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Shengnan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jouke
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dijkstra
authors.forename: Johan H C
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Reiber
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Perkins
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sheehy
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Veldhof
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rapoza
authors.forename: Gerrit-Anne
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: van Es
authors.forename: Hector M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Garcia-Garcia
authors.forename: Robert-Jan
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: van Geuns
authors.forename: Patrick W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Serruys
mesh_terms: D020341:Absorbable Implants; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods*; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence