TY - JOUR
T1 - The vulnerable coronary plaque
T2 - Update on imaging technologies
AU - Rosa, Gian Marco
AU - Bauckneht, Matteo
AU - Masoero, Giovanni
AU - Mach, François
AU - Quercioli, Alessandra
AU - Seitun, Sara
AU - Balbi, Manrico
AU - Brunelli, Claudio
AU - Parodi, Antonello
AU - Nencioni, Alessio
AU - Vuilleumier, Nicolas
AU - Montecucco, Fabrizio
PY - 2013
Y1 - 2013
N2 - Several studies have been carried out on vulnerable plaque as the main culprit for ischaemic cardiac events. Historically, the most important diagnostic technique for studying coronary atherosclerotic disease was to determine the residual luminal diameter by angiographic measurement of the stenosis. However, it has become clear that vulnerable plaque rupture as well as thrombosis, rather than stenosis, triggers most acute ischaemic events and that the quantification of risk based merely on severity of the arterial stenosis is not sufficient. In the last decades, substantial progresses have been made on optimisation of techniques detecting the arterial wall morphology, plaque composition and inflammation. To date, the use of a single technique is not recommended to precisely identify the progression of the atherosclerotic process in human beings. In contrast, the integration of data that can be derived from multiple methods might improve our knowledge about plaque destabilisation. The aim of this narrative review is to update evidence on the accuracy of the currently available non-invasive and invasive imaging techniques in identifying components and morphologic characteristics associated with coronary plaque vulnerability.
AB - Several studies have been carried out on vulnerable plaque as the main culprit for ischaemic cardiac events. Historically, the most important diagnostic technique for studying coronary atherosclerotic disease was to determine the residual luminal diameter by angiographic measurement of the stenosis. However, it has become clear that vulnerable plaque rupture as well as thrombosis, rather than stenosis, triggers most acute ischaemic events and that the quantification of risk based merely on severity of the arterial stenosis is not sufficient. In the last decades, substantial progresses have been made on optimisation of techniques detecting the arterial wall morphology, plaque composition and inflammation. To date, the use of a single technique is not recommended to precisely identify the progression of the atherosclerotic process in human beings. In contrast, the integration of data that can be derived from multiple methods might improve our knowledge about plaque destabilisation. The aim of this narrative review is to update evidence on the accuracy of the currently available non-invasive and invasive imaging techniques in identifying components and morphologic characteristics associated with coronary plaque vulnerability.
KW - Atherosclerosis
KW - Coronary arteries
KW - Imaging
KW - Nuclear medicine
KW - Vulnerable plaque
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U2 - 10.1160/TH13-02-0121
DO - 10.1160/TH13-02-0121
M3 - Article
C2 - 23803753
AN - SCOPUS:84884887843
VL - 110
SP - 706
EP - 722
JO - Thrombosis and Haemostasis
JF - Thrombosis and Haemostasis
SN - 0340-6245
IS - 4
ER -