Relationship Between Coronary Artery Calcium Score and Vulnerability of Culprit Plaque Assessed by OCT in Patients With Established Coronary Artery Disease.

Background: Coronary artery calcium score (CACS) is widely used for risk stratification. However, in patients with established coronary artery disease, its clinical implication and relationship with plaque vulnerability are unclear. We sought to correlate the CACS and plaque vulnerability assessed by optical coherence tomography.

Relationship between plaque burden and plaque vulnerability: Acute coronary syndromes versus chronic coronary syndrome.

Background: The relationship between plaque burden and microscopic characterization of plaque features as it pertains to clinical presentation has not been fully investigated. The aim of this study was to compare the relationship between plaque burden and plaque vulnerability in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) versus chronic coronary syndrome (CCS).

Methods: Patients who underwent both coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) before coronary intervention were enrolled.

Relationship Between Calcified Plaque Burden, Vascular Inflammation, and Plaque Vulnerability in Patients With Coronary Atherosclerosis.

Background: Coronary artery calcification is an integral part of atherosclerosis. It has been suggested that early coronary artery calcification is associated with active inflammation, and advanced calcification forms as inflammation subsides. Inflammation is also an important factor in plaque vulnerability.

Computed Tomography Angiography Characteristics of Thin-Cap Fibroatheroma in Patients With Diabetes.

Background: It was recently reported that thin-cap fibroatheroma (TCFA) detected by optical coherence tomography was an independent predictor of future cardiac events in patients with diabetes. However, the clinical usefulness of this finding is limited by the invasive nature of optical coherence tomography. Computed tomography angiography (CTA) characteristics of TCFA have not been systematically studied.

Coronary plaque phenotype associated with positive remodeling.

Background: Positive remodeling is an integral part of the vascular adaptation process during the development of atherosclerosis, which can be detected by coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA).

Methods: A total of 426 patients who underwent both coronary CTA and optical coherence tomography (OCT) were included. Four machine learning (ML) models, gradient boosting machine (GBM), random forest (RF), deep learning (DL), and support vector machine (SVM), were employed to detect specific plaque features.

Layered plaque is associated with high levels of vascular inflammation and vulnerability in patients with stable angina pectoris.

Layered plaque, a signature of previous plaque destabilization and healing, is a known predictor for rapid plaque progression; however, the mechanism of which is unknown. The aim of the current study was to compare the level of vascular inflammation and plaque vulnerability in layered plaques to investigate possible mechanisms of rapid plaque progression. This is a retrospective, observational, single-center cohort study.

Sex-Specific Association Between Perivascular Inflammation and Plaque Vulnerability.

Background: It is not known whether there is a sex difference in the association between perivascular inflammation and plaque vulnerability. The aim of this study was to investigate the sex-specific association between perivascular inflammation and plaque vulnerability.

Methods: Patients who underwent coronary computed tomography angiography and optical coherence tomography were enrolled.

Proteomics associated with coronary high-risk plaques by optical coherence tomography.

Biomarkers are widely used for the diagnosis and monitoring of cardiovascular disease. However, markers for coronary high-risk plaques have not been identified. The aim of this study was to identify proteins specific to coronary high-risk plaques.

Higher Noncalcified Plaque Volume Is Associated With Increased Plaque Vulnerability and Vascular Inflammation.

Background: Recently, it was reported that noncalcified plaque (NCP) volume was an independent predictor for cardiac events. Pericoronary adipose tissue (PCAT) attenuation is a marker of vascular inflammation and has been associated with increased cardiac mortality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationships between NCP volume, plaque vulnerability, and PCAT attenuation.

Protruding Aortic Plaque and Coronary Plaque Vulnerability.

Background: Protruding aortic plaque is known to be associated with an increased risk for future cardiac and cerebrovascular events. However, the relationship between protruding aortic plaque and coronary plaque characteristics has not been systematically investigated.

Methods And Results: A total of 615 patients who underwent computed tomography angiography, and preintervention optical coherence tomography imaging were included.

A novel deep learning model for a computed tomography diagnosis of coronary plaque erosion.

Patients with acute coronary syndromes caused by plaque erosion might be managed conservatively without stenting. Currently, the diagnosis of plaque erosion requires an invasive imaging procedure. We sought to develop a deep learning (DL) model that enables an accurate diagnosis of plaque erosion using coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA).

Coronary artery disease reporting and data system (CAD-RADS), vascular inflammation and plaque vulnerability.

Background: Coronary artery disease reporting and data system (CAD-RADS) predicts future cardiovascular events in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). However, information on vascular inflammation and vulnerability remains scarce.

Methods: Patients who underwent coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) prior to coronary intervention were enrolled.

High-Risk Plaques on Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography: Correlation With Optical Coherence Tomography.

Background: Although patients with high-risk plaque (HRP) on coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) are reportedly at increased risk for future cardiovascular events, individual HRP features have not been systematically validated against high-resolution intravascular imaging.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to correlate HRP features on CTA with plaque characteristics on optical coherence tomography (OCT).

Methods: Patients who underwent both CTA and OCT before coronary intervention were enrolled.

Sex Differences in Coronary Atherosclerotic Phenotype and Healing Pattern on Optical Coherence Tomography Imaging.

Background: Layered plaque, a signature of previous plaque disruption, is a known predictor of rapid plaque progression. Layered plaque can be identified in vivo by optical coherence tomography. Studies have reported differences in plaque burden between women and men, but sex differences in the pattern of layered plaque are unknown.

Comparison of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Procedures and Outcomes for Recent and Acute ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

Although the primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is an established treatment for acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), relevant guidelines do not recommend it for recent-STEMI cases with a totally occluded infarcted related artery (IRA). However, PCI is allowed in Japan for recent-STEMI cases, but little is known regarding its outcomes. We aimed to examine the details and outcomes of PCI procedures in recent-STEMI cases with a totally occluded IRA and compared the findings with those in acute-STEMI cases.

Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography Findings of Plaque Erosion.

Compared with plaque rupture, plaque erosion has distinct features, which can be diagnosed only by intravascular optical coherence tomography. Computed tomography angiography (CTA) features of plaque erosion have not been reported. The aim of the present study was to identify the CTA features specific for plaque erosion in patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes to enable a diagnosis of erosion without invasive procedures.

Clinical Characteristics and Prognosis of Life-Threatening Acute Myocardial Infarction in Patients Transferred to an Emergency Medical Care Center.

Patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) triaged as life-threatening are transferred to our emergency medical care center (EMCC). However, data on these patients remain limited. We aimed to compare the characteristics and AMI prognosis of patients transferred to our EMCC with those transferred to our cardiovascular intensive care unit (CICU) using whole and propensity-matched cohorts.

Layered plaque and plaque volume in patients with acute coronary syndromes.

Background: Layered plaque is a signature of previous subclinical plaque destabilization and healing. Following plaque disruption, thrombus becomes organized, resulting in creation of a new layer, which might contribute to rapid step-wise progression of the plaque. However, the relationship between layered plaque and plaque volume has not been fully elucidated.

Coronary Inflammation and Plaque Vulnerability: A Coronary Computed Tomography and Optical Coherence Tomography Study.

Background: Vascular inflammation plays a key role in atherogenesis and in the development of acute coronary syndromes. Coronary inflammation can be measured by peri-coronary adipose tissue (PCAT) attenuation on computed tomography angiography. We examined the relationships between the level of coronary artery inflammation assessed by PCAT attenuation and coronary plaque characteristics by optical coherence tomography.

Perforation of a Peptic Ulcer in a Hiatal Hernia Into the Left Ventricle With Systemic Air and Food Embolism.

Perforation of a peptic ulcer into the ventricle is uncommon, and the definitive diagnosis is difficult in living patients. We herein report a case of perforation of a peptic ulcer in a hiatal hernia into the left ventricle with systemic air and food embolism. This is the first case report of the perforation diagnosed by computed tomography and confirmed by autopsy.

The impact of blood pressure variability on coronary plaque vulnerability in stable angina: an analysis using optical coherence tomography.

Background: Blood pressure variability (BPV), especially visit-to-visit BPV, has been reported to be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The impact of BPV on coronary plaque vulnerability remains uncertain. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between BPV and coronary plaque vulnerability.

Plaque Characteristics in Coronary Artery Disease Patients with Impaired Glucose Tolerance.

Background: Impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) patients are known to have a high risk of cardiovascular events and their prognosis has been reported to be poor. The present study aimed to compare coronary plaque characteristics among coronary artery disease (CAD) patients with normal glucose tolerance (NGT), those with IGT, and those with diabetes mellitus (DM) by using optical coherence tomography (OCT).

Methods: The present study included 101 coronary artery disease patients (mean age, 67.