title: Non-invasive and invasive imaging of vulnerable coronary plaque.
abstract: Vulnerable plaque is characterized by a large necrotic core and an overlying thin fibrous cap. Non-invasive imaging modalities such as computed tomography angiography (CTA) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) allow for the assessment of morphological plaque characteristics, while positron emission tomography (PET) enables the detection of metabolic activity within the atherosclerotic lesions. Invasive imaging modalities such as intravascular ultrasound (IVUS), optical-coherence tomography (OCT), and intravascular MRI (IV-MRI) display plaques at a high spatial resolution. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) allows for the detection of chemical components of atherosclerotic plaques. In this review, we describe state-of-the-art non-invasive and invasive imaging modalities and stress the combination of their advantages to identify vulnerable plaque features.
authors.affiliation: MTA-SE Cardiovascular Imaging Research Group, Heart and Vascular Center, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: Csilla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Celeng
authors.affiliation: Cardiac MR PET CT Program, Division of Cardiovascular Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Department of Radiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Richard A P
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Takx
authors.affiliation: Knight Cardiovascular Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR.
authors.forename: Maros
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ferencik
authors.affiliation: MTA-SE Cardiovascular Imaging Research Group, Heart and Vascular Center, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary. Electronic address: p.maurovich-horvat@cirg.hu.
authors.forename: Pál
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Maurovich-Horvat
mesh_terms: D000072226:Computed Tomography Angiography; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods; D005355:Fibrosis; D006801:Humans; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D064847:Multimodal Imaging; D009336:Necrosis; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous; D019265:Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional
keywords: Coronary artery disease; Necrotic core; Thin-cap fibroatheroma; Vulnerable plaque