Abstract
High wall shear stress (WSS) and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) detected lipid-rich plaque (LRP) are both known to be associated with plaque destabilization and future adverse cardiovascular events. However, knowledge of spatial co-localization of LRP and high WSS is lacking. This study investigated the co-localization of LRP based on NIRS and high WSS. Fifty-three patients presenting acute coronary syndrome underwent NIRS-intravascular-ultrasound (NIRS-IVUS) imaging of a non-culprit coronary artery. WSS was obtained using WSS profiling in 3D-reconstructions of the coronary arteries based on fusion of IVUS-segmented lumen and CT-derived 3D-centerline. Thirty-eight vessels were available for final analysis and divided into 0.5 mm/45° sectors. LRP sectors, as identified by NIRS, were more often colocalized with high WSS than sectors without LRP. Moreover, there was a dose-dependent relationship between lipid content and high WSS exposure. This study is a first step in understanding the evolution of LRPs to vulnerable plaques.
Incidence of Lipid Rich Plaque (LRP) by Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) in Near Normal Coronary Artery of Patients with Stable Presentation Versus Acute Coronary Syndrome
