Understanding coronary plaque biomechanical properties with intravascular imaging*

The biomechanical properties of coronary artery atherosclerosis are vital in understanding acute myocardial infarction and the factors that contribute to plaque instability. Intravascular cross-sectional imaging, with a resolution approaching that of histopathology and with high speed to avoid motion artifacts that arise from the dynamic cardiac cycle, can provide a basis for mechanical modeling and analysis to identify the primary compositional and structural factors in lesion vulnerability. We have recently developed a novel approach for real-time modeling that can be used during procedures in the cardiac catheterization laboratory.