title: Serial optical coherence tomography imaging of ACS-causing culprit plaques.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to understand better the mechanisms of repair of plaque complications causing acute coronary syndrome.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We used OCT in the acute phase and at follow-up (one to seven months) to investigate the plaque healing in 10 culprit plaques: five ruptured fibrous cap (RFC) and five intact fibrous cap (IFC) which were not treated with stent deployment and caused ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (n=8) and non-STEMI (n=2). At follow-up OCT, the margins of the evacuated cavity in RFC plaques showed a smooth surface and a morphology similar to that of baseline images, while IFC plaques showed a smoothened intimal border and a double layering indicating organising thrombus incorporated in the superficial layers of the plaque.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the months following a successfully dissolved acute thrombosis, OCT revealed that the cavity of RFC plaques persists and is bordered by a smooth "neointima", while IFC plaques showed features suggesting partial incorporation of the deepest layers of thrombus in the plaque.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Clermont-Ferrand University Hospital, Clermont-Ferrand, France.
authors.forename: Géraud
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Souteyrand
authors.forename: Eloisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Arbustini
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Motreff
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gatto
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Di Vito
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Marco
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Amabile
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chisari
authors.forename: Takhaide
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kodama
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Romagnoli
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tavazzi
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Crea
authors.forename: Jagat
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Narula
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Prati
mesh_terms: D054058:Acute Coronary Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous / Q000601:surgery*; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D016896:Treatment Outcome