Donate Help Contact The AHA Sign In Home
American Heart Association
Circulation
Search: search_blue_button Advanced Search
Circulation. 2002;106:1640-1645
Published online before print September 3, 2002, doi: 10.1161/01.CIR.0000029927.92825.F6
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
106/13/1640    most recent
01.CIR.0000029927.92825.F6v1
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Request Permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Yabushita, H.
Right arrow Articles by Tearney, G. J.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Yabushita, H.
Right arrow Articles by Tearney, G. J.
Related Collections
Right arrow Coronary imaging: angiography/ultrasound/Doppler/CC

(Circulation. 2002;106:1640.)
© 2002 American Heart Association, Inc.


Clinical Investigation and Reports

Characterization of Human Atherosclerosis by Optical Coherence Tomography

Hiroshi Yabushita, MD*; Brett E. Bouma, PhD*; Stuart L. Houser, MD; H. Thomas Aretz, MD; Ik-Kyung Jang, MD; Kelly H. Schlendorf, BS; Christopher R. Kauffman, BS; Milen Shishkov, PhD; Dong-Heon Kang, MD, PhD; Elkan F. Halpern, PhD; Guillermo J. Tearney, MD, PhD

From the Cardiology Division (H.Y., I.-K.J., D.-H.K.), Wellman Laboratories of Photomedicine (B.E.B., K.H.S., C.R.K., M.S., G.J.T.), Department of Pathology (S.L.H., H.T.A., G.J.T.), and Department of Radiology (E.F.H.), Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, and the First Department of Internal Medicine, Kinki University School of Medicine, Osakasayama, Osaka, Japan (H.Y.).

Correspondence to Guillermo J. Tearney, MD, PhD, Massachusetts General Hospital, 40 Blossom St, BAR 703, Boston, MA 02114. E-mail tearney{at}helix.mgh.harvard.edu

Background— High-resolution visualization of atherosclerotic plaque morphology may be essential for identifying coronary plaques that cause acute coronary events. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is an intravascular imaging modality capable of providing cross-sectional images of tissue with a resolution of 10 µm. To date, OCT imaging has not been investigated in sufficient detail to assess its accuracy for characterizing atherosclerotic plaques. The aim of this study was to establish objective OCT image criteria for atherosclerotic plaque characterization in vitro.

Methods and Results— OCT images of 357 (diseased) atherosclerotic arterial segments obtained at autopsy were correlated with histology. OCT image criteria for 3 types of plaque were formulated by analysis of a subset (n=50) of arterial segments. OCT images of fibrous plaques were characterized by homogeneous, signal-rich regions; fibrocalcific plaques by well-delineated, signal-poor regions with sharp borders; and lipid-rich plaques by signal-poor regions with diffuse borders. Independent validation of these criteria by 2 OCT readers for the remaining segments (n=307) demonstrated a sensitivity and specificity ranging from 71% to 79% and 97% to 98% for fibrous plaques, 95% to 96% and 97% for fibrocalcific plaques, and 90% to 94% and 90% to 92% for lipid-rich plaques, respectively (overall agreement, {kappa}=0.83 to 0.84). The interobserver and intraobserver reliabilities of OCT assessment were high ({kappa} values of 0.88 and 0.91, respectively).

Conclusions— Objective OCT criteria are highly sensitive and specific for characterizing different types of atherosclerotic plaques. These results represent an important step in validating this new intravascular imaging modality and will provide a basis for the interpretation of intracoronary OCT images obtained from patients.


Key Words: atherosclerosis • catheters • imaging • tomography • plaque




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
CirculationHome page
A. Tanaka, T. Imanishi, H. Kitabata, T. Kubo, S. Takarada, T. Tanimoto, A. Kuroi, H. Tsujioka, H. Ikejima, S. Ueno, et al.
Morphology of Exertion-Triggered Plaque Rupture in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndrome: An Optical Coherence Tomography Study
Circulation, December 2, 2008; 118(23): 2368 - 2373.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
CirculationHome page
J.-S. Kim, J.-S. Kim, E.-Y. Choi, D. Choi, and Y. Jang
Catastrophic Thrombus Formation During Optical Coherence Tomography
Circulation, August 5, 2008; 118(6): e101 - e102.
[Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Eur Heart JHome page
G. Pasterkamp and I. Hoefer
The visualization of the remodelling paradox
Eur. Heart J., July 2, 2008; 29(14): 1704 - 1705.
[Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Eur Heart JHome page
O. C. Raffel, F. M. Merchant, G. J. Tearney, S. Chia, D. D. Gauthier, E. Pomerantsev, K. Mizuno, B. E. Bouma, and I.-K. Jang
In vivo association between positive coronary artery remodelling and coronary plaque characteristics assessed by intravascular optical coherence tomography
Eur. Heart J., July 2, 2008; 29(14): 1721 - 1728.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
HeartHome page
L Meng, B Lv, S Zhang, and B Yv
In vivo optical coherence tomography of experimental thrombosis in a rabbit carotid model
Heart, June 1, 2008; 94(6): 777 - 780.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Eur Heart JHome page
T. Sawada, J. Shite, H. M. Garcia-Garcia, T. Shinke, S. Watanabe, H. Otake, D. Matsumoto, Y. Tanino, D. Ogasawara, H. Kawamori, et al.
Feasibility of combined use of intravascular ultrasound radiofrequency data analysis and optical coherence tomography for detecting thin-cap fibroatheroma
Eur. Heart J., May 1, 2008; 29(9): 1136 - 1146.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
HeartHome page
B X Chen, F Y Ma, W Luo, J H Ruan, W L Xie, X Z Zhao, S H Sun, X M Guo, F Wang, T Tian, et al.
Neointimal coverage of bare-metal and sirolimus-eluting stents evaluated with optical coherence tomography
Heart, May 1, 2008; 94(5): 566 - 570.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J Am Coll Cardiol IntvHome page
Y. Suzuki, F. Ikeno, T. Koizumi, F. Tio, A. C. Yeung, P. G. Yock, P. J. Fitzgerald, and W. F. Fearon
In Vivo Comparison Between Optical Coherence Tomography and Intravascular Ultrasound for Detecting Small Degrees of In-Stent Neointima After Stent Implantation
J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. Intv., April 1, 2008; 1(2): 168 - 173.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J Am Coll Cardiol IntvHome page
T. Kubo, T. Imanishi, S. Takarada, A. Kuroi, S. Ueno, T. Yamano, T. Tanimoto, Y. Matsuo, T. Masho, H. Kitabata, et al.
Implication of Plaque Color Classification for Assessing Plaque Vulnerability: A Coronary Angioscopy and Optical Coherence Tomography Investigation
J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. Intv., February 1, 2008; 1(1): 74 - 80.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
HeartHome page
F Prati, M Zimarino, E Stabile, G Pizzicannella, T Fouad, R Rabozzi, A Filippini, J Pizzicannella, M Cera, and R De Caterina
Does optical coherence tomography identify arterial healing after stenting? An in vivo comparison with histology, in a rabbit carotid model
Heart, February 1, 2008; 94(2): 217 - 221.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J Am Coll CardiolHome page
A. V. Finn, G. Nakazawa, J. Narula, and R. Virmani
Culprit Plaque in Myocardial Infarction: Going Beyond Angiography
J. Am. Coll. Cardiol., December 4, 2007; 50(23): 2204 - 2206.
[Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
CirculationHome page
R. Bhindi, S. M. Munir, and K. M. Channon
Optical Coherence Tomography in the Setting of an Acute Anterior Myocardial Infarction
Circulation, October 2, 2007; 116(14): e366 - e367.
[Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J Am Coll CardiolHome page
T. Kubo, T. Imanishi, S. Takarada, A. Kuroi, S. Ueno, T. Yamano, T. Tanimoto, Y. Matsuo, T. Masho, H. Kitabata, et al.
Assessment of Culprit Lesion Morphology in Acute Myocardial Infarction: Ability of Optical Coherence Tomography Compared With Intravascular Ultrasound and Coronary Angioscopy
J. Am. Coll. Cardiol., September 4, 2007; 50(10): 933 - 939.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Bio.Home page
O. C. Raffel, G. J. Tearney, D. D. Gauthier, E. F. Halpern, B. E. Bouma, and I.-K. Jang
Relationship Between a Systemic Inflammatory Marker, Plaque Inflammation, and Plaque Characteristics Determined by Intravascular Optical Coherence Tomography
Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Biol., August 1, 2007; 27(8): 1820 - 1827.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J Am Coll CardiolHome page
S. K. Nadkarni, M. C. Pierce, B. H. Park, J. F. de Boer, P. Whittaker, B. E. Bouma, J. E. Bressner, E. Halpern, S. L. Houser, and G. J. Tearney
Measurement of Collagen and Smooth Muscle Cell Content in Atherosclerotic Plaques Using Polarization-Sensitive Optical Coherence Tomography
J. Am. Coll. Cardiol., April 3, 2007; 49(13): 1474 - 1481.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Eur Heart JHome page
D. Matsumoto, J. Shite, T. Shinke, H. Otake, Y. Tanino, D. Ogasawara, T. Sawada, O. L. Paredes, K.-i. Hirata, and M. Yokoyama
Neointimal coverage of sirolimus-eluting stents at 6-month follow-up: evaluated by optical coherence tomography
Eur. Heart J., April 2, 2007; 28(8): 961 - 967.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
CirculationHome page
S. Waxman, F. Ishibashi, and J. E. Muller
Detection and Treatment of Vulnerable Plaques and Vulnerable Patients: Novel Approaches to Prevention of Coronary Events
Circulation, November 28, 2006; 114(22): 2390 - 2411.
[Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
RadiologyHome page
M. Ferencik, R. C. Chan, S. Achenbach, J. B. Lisauskas, S. L. Houser, U. Hoffmann, S. Abbara, R. C. Cury, B. E. Bouma, G. J. Tearney, et al.
Arterial Wall Imaging: Evaluation with 16-Section Multidetector CT in Blood Vessel Phantoms and ex Vivo Coronary Arteries
Radiology, September 1, 2006; 240(3): 708 - 716.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Bio.Home page
M. Papaspyridonos, A. Smith, K. G. Burnand, P. Taylor, S. Padayachee, K. E. Suckling, C. H. James, D. R. Greaves, and L. Patel
Novel Candidate Genes in Unstable Areas of Human Atherosclerotic Plaques
Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Biol., August 1, 2006; 26(8): 1837 - 1844.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J Am Coll CardiolHome page
M. Kawasaki, B. E. Bouma, J. Bressner, S. L. Houser, S. K. Nadkarni, B. D. MacNeill, I.-K. Jang, H. Fujiwara, and G. J. Tearney
Diagnostic Accuracy of Optical Coherence Tomography and Integrated Backscatter Intravascular Ultrasound Images for Tissue Characterization of Human Coronary Plaques
J. Am. Coll. Cardiol., July 4, 2006; 48(1): 81 - 88.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J Am Coll CardiolHome page
K. Nasu, E. Tsuchikane, O. Katoh, D. G. Vince, R. Virmani, J.-F. Surmely, A. Murata, Y. Takeda, T. Ito, M. Ehara, et al.
Accuracy of In Vivo Coronary Plaque Morphology Assessment: A Validation Study of In Vivo Virtual Histology Compared With In Vitro Histopathology
J. Am. Coll. Cardiol., June 20, 2006; 47(12): 2405 - 2412.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Eur Heart JHome page
U. Limbruno and R. De Caterina
EMERALD, AIMI, and PROMISE: is there still a potential for embolic protection in primary PCI?
Eur. Heart J., May 2, 2006; 27(10): 1139 - 1145.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J Am Coll CardiolHome page
D. Stamper, N. J. Weissman, and M. Brezinski
Plaque Characterization With Optical Coherence Tomography.
J. Am. Coll. Cardiol., April 18, 2006; 47(8S): C69 - C79.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J Am Coll CardiolHome page
K. Watanabe, S. Sugiyama, K. Kugiyama, O. Honda, H. Fukushima, H. Koga, Y. Horibata, T. Hirai, T. Sakamoto, M. Yoshimura, et al.
Stabilization of Carotid Atheroma Assessed by Quantitative Ultrasound Analysis in Nonhypercholesterolemic Patients With Coronary Artery Disease
J. Am. Coll. Cardiol., December 6, 2005; 46(11): 2022 - 2030.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
CirculationHome page
S. K. Nadkarni, B. E. Bouma, T. Helg, R. Chan, E. Halpern, A. Chau, M. S. Minsky, J. T. Motz, S. L. Houser, and G. J. Tearney
Characterization of Atherosclerotic Plaques by Laser Speckle Imaging
Circulation, August 9, 2005; 112(6): 885 - 892.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
StrokeHome page
J.K. Lovett, J.N.E. Redgrave, and P.M. Rothwell
A Critical Appraisal of the Performance, Reporting, and Interpretation of Studies Comparing Carotid Plaque Imaging With Histology
Stroke, May 1, 2005; 36(5): 1085 - 1091.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
CirculationHome page
I.-K. Jang, G. J. Tearney, B. MacNeill, M. Takano, F. Moselewski, N. Iftima, M. Shishkov, S. Houser, H. T. Aretz, E. F. Halpern, et al.
In Vivo Characterization of Coronary Atherosclerotic Plaque by Use of Optical Coherence Tomography
Circulation, March 29, 2005; 111(12): 1551 - 1555.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg.Home page
N. Hanna, D. Saltzman, D. Mukai, Z. Chen, S. Sasse, J. Milliken, S. Guo, W. Jung, H. Colt, and M. Brenner
Two-dimensional and 3-dimensional optical coherence tomographic imaging of the airway, lung, and pleura
J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg., March 1, 2005; 129(3): 615 - 622.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J Am Coll CardiolHome page
B. D. MacNeill, I.-K. Jang, B. E. Bouma, N. Iftimia, M. Takano, H. Yabushita, M. Shishkov, C. R. Kauffman, S. L. Houser, H.T. Aretz, et al.
Focal and multi-focal plaque macrophage distributions in patients with acute and stable presentations of coronary artery disease
J. Am. Coll. Cardiol., September 1, 2004; 44(5): 972 - 979.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
RadiologyHome page
P. Schoenhagen, S. S. Halliburton, A. E. Stillman, S. A. Kuzmiak, S. E. Nissen, E. M. Tuzcu, and R. D. White
Noninvasive Imaging of Coronary Arteries: Current and Future Role of Multi-Detector Row CT
Radiology, July 1, 2004; 232(1): 7 - 17.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
RadiologyHome page
U. J. Schoepf, C. R. Becker, B. M. Ohnesorge, and E. K. Yucel
CT of Coronary Artery Disease
Radiology, July 1, 2004; 232(1): 18 - 37.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
RadiologyHome page
A. C. Langheinrich, R. M. Bohle, S. Greschus, N. Hackstein, G. Walker, S. von Gerlach, W. S. Rau, and H. Holschermann
Atherosclerotic Lesions at Micro CT: Feasibility for Analysis of Coronary Artery Wall in Autopsy Specimens
Radiology, June 1, 2004; 231(3): 675 - 681.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J Am Coll CardiolHome page
E. M. Tuzcu and P. Schoenhagen
Acute coronary syndromes, plaque vulnerability,and carotid artery disease: The changing role ofatherosclerosis imaging
J. Am. Coll. Cardiol., September 17, 2003; 42(6): 1033 - 1036.
[Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Bio.Home page
B. D. MacNeill, H. C. Lowe, M. Takano, V. Fuster, and I.-K. Jang
Intravascular Modalities for Detection of Vulnerable Plaque: Current Status
Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Biol., August 1, 2003; 23(8): 1333 - 1342.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
CirculationHome page
S. Verheye, M. M. Kockx, S. W. Casscells, G. J. Tearney, H. Yabushita, S. L. Houser, H. T. Aretz, I.-K. Jang, B. MacNeill, E. F. Halpern, et al.
Thermography to Detect Inflamed Macrophage-Rich Plaques * Response
Circulation, June 10, 2003; 107 (22): e212 - e213.
[Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Eur Heart JHome page
M. Oberhoff and K. R Karsch
Who wants his plaque sealed?
Eur. Heart J., March 2, 2003; 24(6): 494 - 495.
[Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
HeartHome page
B E Bouma, G J Tearney, H Yabushita, M Shishkov, C R Kauffman, D DeJoseph Gauthier, B D MacNeill, S L Houser, H T Aretz, E F Halpern, et al.
Evaluation of intracoronary stenting by intravascular optical coherence tomography
Heart, March 1, 2003; 89(3): 317 - 320.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]