About this Research Topic
Intravascular imaging has enabled in vivo evaluation of plaque morphology and detailed assessment of lesion anatomy, information that is useful in the study of atherosclerosis and in planning percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI). Cumulative evidence, however, has recently demonstrated that the existing imaging techniques have limitations in assessing plaque characteristics and biology while studies have shown that the present modalities have limited accuracy in detecting lesions that are likely to progress and cause events. In parallel, clinical trials have highlighted the value of invasive imaging in optimizing PCI results and improving clinical outcomes but also showed a high event rate despite its use in prognostically significant lesions at long term follow-up; a fact that at least partially has been attributed to the limited efficacy of the present intravascular imaging techniques in assessing procedural outcomes.
To overcome these drawbacks research has focused on the development of advanced intravascular imaging catheters that will allow more precise assessment of plaque morphology and its composition. The miniaturization of medical devices and advances in image and signal processing have also allowed the combination of different intravascular imaging probes with complementary strengths that in preliminary histology studies appear to overcome limitations of standalone intravascular imaging and provide complete assessment of plaque pathophysiology. Today several prototypes have been developed that are currently undergoing preclinical or clinical evaluation.
Frontiers Cardiovascular Imaging is an international peer review journal that focuses on the diagnosis treatment and pathophysiology of cardiovascular disease. The journal aims to publish a Research Topic in the advances in intravascular imaging and on their value in assessing plaque morphology and in planning PCI.
This Research Topic encourage debates about the potential role of the emerging intravascular modalities in assessing plaque pathophysiology and in complex PCI. We welcome clinicians and biomedical engineers to present new technologies, ex-vivo validation studies and clinical trials that evaluate the potential value of the novel invasive imaging techniques and submit review articles that discuss the evolution in the field.
Potential themes include but are not limited to the following:
1) High resolution intravascular ultrasound imaging.
2) High speed optical coherence tomography imaging.
3) Near infrared spectroscopy.
4) Photoacoustics.
5) Raman spectroscopy.
6) Near infrared fluorescence imaging.
7) Time resolve fluorescence spectroscopy.
8) Combined intravascular ultrasound - optical coherence tomography imaging.
9) Computational fluid dynamics.
10) Artificial Intelligence.
To overcome these drawbacks research has focused on the development of advanced intravascular imaging catheters that will allow more precise assessment of plaque morphology and its composition. The miniaturization of medical devices and advances in image and signal processing have also allowed the combination of different intravascular imaging probes with complementary strengths that in preliminary histology studies appear to overcome limitations of standalone intravascular imaging and provide complete assessment of plaque pathophysiology. Today several prototypes have been developed that are currently undergoing preclinical or clinical evaluation.
Frontiers Cardiovascular Imaging is an international peer review journal that focuses on the diagnosis treatment and pathophysiology of cardiovascular disease. The journal aims to publish a Research Topic in the advances in intravascular imaging and on their value in assessing plaque morphology and in planning PCI.
This Research Topic encourage debates about the potential role of the emerging intravascular modalities in assessing plaque pathophysiology and in complex PCI. We welcome clinicians and biomedical engineers to present new technologies, ex-vivo validation studies and clinical trials that evaluate the potential value of the novel invasive imaging techniques and submit review articles that discuss the evolution in the field.
Potential themes include but are not limited to the following:
1) High resolution intravascular ultrasound imaging.
2) High speed optical coherence tomography imaging.
3) Near infrared spectroscopy.
4) Photoacoustics.
5) Raman spectroscopy.
6) Near infrared fluorescence imaging.
7) Time resolve fluorescence spectroscopy.
8) Combined intravascular ultrasound - optical coherence tomography imaging.
9) Computational fluid dynamics.
10) Artificial Intelligence.
Keywords: Multimodality Intravascular Imaging, Vulnerable Plaque, Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
