Abstract
Atherosclerosis is a chronic immunomodulated disease that affects multiple vascular beds and results in a significant worldwide disease burden. Conventional imaging modalities focus on the morphological features of atherosclerotic disease such as the degree of stenosis caused by a lesion. Modern CT, MR and positron emission tomography scanners have seen significant improvements in the rapidity of image acquisition and spatial resolution. This has increased the scope for the clinical application of these modalities. Multimodality imaging can improve cardiovascular risk prediction by informing on the constituency and metabolic processes within the vessel wall. Specific disease processes can be targeted using novel biological tracers and “smart” contrast agents. These approaches have the potential to inform clinicians of the metabolic state of atherosclerotic plaque. This review will provide an overview of current imaging techniques for the imaging of atherosclerosis and how various modalities can provide information that enhances the depiction of basic morphology.
Highlights
Atherosclerosis is a chronic immune-modulated pathological process affecting multiple vascular beds and leads to diseases that are a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide.[1]
Atherosclerosis may manifest as either exertional symptoms due to luminal narrowing or sudden events related to plaque rupture
Sudden rupture of an atherosclerotic plaque may cause distal embolism. This is typically seen in ischaemic stroke distal to a proximal internal carotid artery plaque rupture
Summary
Citation for published version: Syed, MB, Fletcher, AJ, Forsythe, RO, Kaczynski, J, Newby, DE, Dweck, MR & van Beek, EJ 2019, 'Emerging techniques in atherosclerosis imaging', British Journal of Radiology, pp.
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