title: The basics of intravascular optical coherence tomography.
abstract: Optical coherence tomography (OCT) has opened new horizons for intravascular coronary imaging. It utilizes near-infrared light to provide a microscopic insight into the pathology of coronary arteries in vivo. Optical coherence tomography is also capable of identifying the chemical composition of atherosclerotic plaques and detecting traits of their vulnerability. At present it is the only tool to measure the thickness of the fibrous cap covering the lipid core of the atheroma, and thus it is an exceptional modality to detect plaques that are prone to rupture (thin fibrous cap atheromas). Moreover, it facilitates distinguishing between plaque rupture and plaque erosion as a cause of acute intracoronary thrombosis. Optical coherence tomography is applied to guide angioplasties of coronary lesions and to assess outcomes of percutaneous coronary interventions broadly. It identifies stent malapposition, dissections, and thrombosis with unprecedented precision. Furthermore, OCT helps to monitor vessel healing after stenting. It evaluates the coverage of stent struts by the neointima and detects in-stent neoatherosclerosis. With so much potential, new studies are warranted to determine OCT's clinical impact. The following review presents the technical background, basics of OCT image interpretation, and practical tips for adequate OCT imaging, and outlines its established and potential clinical application.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland ; KCRI, Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Roleder
authors.affiliation: KCRI, Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jąkała
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Research Foundation, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Grzegorz L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Kałuża
authors.affiliation: KCRI, Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Łukasz
authors.initials: Ł
authors.lastname: Partyka
authors.affiliation: KCRI, Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Klaudia
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Proniewska
authors.affiliation: KCRI, Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Elżbieta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pociask
authors.affiliation: KCRI, Krakow, Poland ; Jagiellonian University Medical College, Institute of Cardiology, Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Wojciech
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zasada
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Wojciech
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wojakowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Zbigniew
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Gąsior
authors.affiliation: Jagiellonian University Medical College, Institute of Cardiology, Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Dariusz
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dudek
keywords: atherosclerosis; optical coherence tomography; stent