Circulation Research. 2001;89:305-316
doi: 10.1161/hh1601.095596
doi: 10.1161/hh1601.095596
© 2001 American Heart Association, Inc.
Review |
Clinical Imaging of the High-Risk or Vulnerable Atherosclerotic Plaque
From the Zena and Michael A. Wiener Cardiovascular Institute, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY.
Correspondence to Zahi A. Fayad, PhD, Zena and Michael A. Wiener Cardiovascular Institute, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Box 1030, New York, NY 10029. E-mail zahi.fayad{at}mssm.edu
The study of atherosclerotic disease during its natural history and after therapeutic intervention will enhance our understanding of disease progression and regression and aid in selecting appropriate treatments. Several invasive and noninvasive imaging techniques are available to assess atherosclerotic vessels. Most of the standard techniques identify luminal diameter, stenosis, wall thickness, and plaque volume; however, none can characterize plaque composition and therefore identify the high-risk plaques. We will present the different imaging modalities that have been used for the direct assessment of the carotid, aortic, and coronary atherosclerotic plaques. We will review in detail the use of high-resolution, multicontrast magnetic resonance for the noninvasive imaging of vulnerable plaques and the characterization of plaques in terms of their various components (ie, lipid, fibrous, calcium, or thrombus).
Key Words: atherosclerosis • magnetic resonance imaging • ultrasound • computed tomography • lipid-lowering
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