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.