Article

Coronary CT angiography (CCTA) and advances in CT plaque imaging.

Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, Campus Box 8015, Saint Louis, MO 63108, USA.
Journal of Nuclear Cardiology (impact factor: 2.67). 05/2009; 16(3):466-73. DOI:10.1007/s12350-009-9084-y pp.466-73
Source: PubMed

ABSTRACT The goal of this review is to highlight current advances in the non-invasive detection of clinically significant atherosclerotic disease including the so-called vulnerable plaque with computed tomography. Atherosclerotic disease encompasses stages of plaque progression, stabilization, and even regression. Traditionally, the focus of diagnostic imaging has been the detection of lumen-occluding atheroma. However, advances in our understanding of the pathophysiology of atherosclerotic plaque have shown that, in certain stages of plaque progression, plaque is "vulnerable" and able to cause acute coronary syndromes despite "non-significant" vascular occlusion at baseline. This provides a rationale to improve our non-invasive imaging technology. Presented here are improvements in soft-tissue resolution with technical advancements as well as contrast-enhancement and lately even nanotechnology-based technology which are geared to detect the clinically elusive vulnerable plaque and provide an opportunity for preventative therapy.

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Keywords

able
 
Atherosclerotic disease encompasses stages
 
atherosclerotic plaque
 
cause acute coronary syndromes
 
certain stages
 
clinically elusive vulnerable plaque
 
clinically significant atherosclerotic disease
 
computed tomography
 
contrast-enhancement
 
current advances
 
non-invasive detection
 
non-invasive imaging technology
 
non-significant
 
plaque
 
plaque progression
 
so-called vulnerable plaque
 
soft-tissue resolution
 
vascular occlusion
 
vulnerable