Imaging of vulnerable coronary artery plaques

Advances in the identification of vulnerable plaque can be an important step in preventing myocardial infarction and sudden cardiac death. The recognition that non-flow-limiting plaques often produce cardiac events has led to the development of invasive and non-invasive methods to identify such plaques prospectively. This review will present the use of noninvasive imaging modalities for identifying vulnerable plaque such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. We will also review the different invasive modalities such as intravascular magnetic resonance imaging, intravascular ultrasound, coronary angioscopy, coronary thermography, optical coherence tomography, near-infrared spectroscopy, and palpography. (c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.