Imaging of Vulnerable Plaques in Coronary Artery Disease by Multidetector Computed Tomography

Summary

Atherosclerosis is a chronic and multifocal immunoinflammatory, fibroproliferative disease of medium-sized and large arteries driven by lipid. Atherosclerosis is rarely fatal unless thrombosis supervene, causing an acute coronary syndrome. Therefore, for event-free survival, the vital question is not why atherosclerosis develops but rather why atherosclerosis, after years after indolent growth, suddenly becomes complicated with luminal thrombosis.

The great majority of coronary plaques will remain quiescent, at least from a clinical point of view.

Acute coronary syndrome is primarily precipitated by a ruptured plaque. The precipitating factor or condition may be found outside rather than inside the plaque.

The challenge is to find the plaque(s) destined for the next thrombus-mediated heart attack(s), treat, and thus avoid the heart attack(s). Identification of vulnerable plaques has become a key issue. The natural history of individual plaques (risk of thrombosis) is unknown and needs to be established.

Multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) can provide angiography and imaging of the vessel wall (detection, quantification and characterization of plaques).

The intention of this project is to evaluate the accuracy of coronary MDCT in identifying and differentiating the morphology of coronary atherosclerotic plaques.

Conditions

• Atherosclerosis

Interventions

RADIATION

Multidetector computed tomography scanning

contrast Multidetector CT-scanning

PROCEDURE

Coronary angiography (CAG)

CAG and if necessary PCI. Included patients are already assigned for CAG

PROCEDURE

Intravascular ultrasound

During CAG Intravascular Ultrasound will be performed in the three coronary arteries

PROCEDURE

Blood sample

a blood sample at baseline after 3 months and at the end of the follow up (after 12 months)

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Danish Research Agency

  collaborator OTHER

• Philips Medical Systems

  collaborator INDUSTRY

• Danish Heart Foundation

  collaborator OTHER

• University of Aarhus

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Hans Erik Boetker, MD,PhD,DMSc · Aarhus University Hospital

Study Design

Allocation

NA

Purpose

DIAGNOSTIC

Masking

NONE

Model

SINGLE_GROUP

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2007-11-30

Primary Completion

2012-01-31

Completion

2012-01-31

Countries

• Denmark

Study Locations