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. 2016 Oct;11(2):120-123.
doi: 10.15420/icr.2016:13:3.

Emerging Technology Update Intravascular Photoacoustic Imaging of Vulnerable Atherosclerotic Plaque

Min Wu  1 , Antonius Fw van der Steen  1   2   3   4 , Evelyn Regar  5 , Gijs van Soest  1
Affiliations

Emerging Technology Update Intravascular Photoacoustic Imaging of Vulnerable Atherosclerotic Plaque

Min Wu et al. Interv Cardiol. 2016 Oct.

Abstract

The identification of vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques in the coronary arteries is emerging as an important tool for guiding atherosclerosis diagnosis and interventions. Assessment of plaque vulnerability requires knowledge of both the structure and composition of the plaque. Intravascular photoacoustic (IVPA) imaging is able to show the morphology and composition of atherosclerotic plaque. With imminent improvements in IVPA imaging, it is becoming possible to assess human coronary artery disease in vivo. Although some challenges remain, IVPA imaging is on its way to being a powerful tool for visualising coronary atherosclerotic features that have been specifically associated with plaque vulnerability and clinical syndromes, and thus such imaging might become valuable for clinical risk assessment in the catheterisation laboratory.

Keywords: Vulnerable plaque; atherosclerosis; coronary artery disease; intravascular imaging; intravascular photoacoustic imaging.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Figures

Figure 1:
Figure 1:. Illustration of the Intravascular Photoacoustic Imaging Principle
Figure 2:
Figure 2:. Different Intravascular Photoacoustic (IVPA) Catheter Designs
Figure 3:
Figure 3:. Lipid Identification in an Atherosclerotic Human Coronary Artery
Figure 4:
Figure 4:. Ex Vivo Lipid Differentiation Result of the Atherosclerotic Left Anterior Ascending Coronary Artery of an 80-year-old Man
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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