Clinical Imaging of the High Risk or Vulnerable Atherosclerotic Plaque英文文献.pdfVIP

This Review is part of a thematic series on Inflammatory Mechanisms in Atherosclerosis, which includes the following articles: Anti-Inflammatory Mechanisms in the Vascular Wall Clinical Imaging of the High-Risk or Vulnerable Atherosclerotic Plaque Innate and Adaptive Immune Mechanisms in Atherosclerosis CD40 Signaling and Plaque Instability Novel Clinical Markers of Vascular Wall Inflammation Andreas Zeiher, Guest Editor Clinical Imaging of the High-Risk or Vulnerable Atherosclerotic Plaque Z.A. Fayad, V. Fuster Abstract—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). (Circ Res. 2001;89:305-316.) Key Words: atherosclerosis magnetic resonance imaging ultrasound computed tomography lipid-lowering therosclerosis is a systemic disease of the vessel wall Coronary Arter