The Vulnerable Plaque: Recent Advances in Computed Tomography Imaging to Identify the Vulnerable Patient.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE OF REVIEW This review aims to summarize the role of coronary computed tomography plaque analysis in identifying high-risk patients and plaques. RECENT FINDINGS: In this review, we will describe the histopathological features of a vulnerable plaque as well as the coronary computed tomography characteristics including spotty calcification, low-attenuation fatty core, positive remodeling, and thin fibrous cap. We will also review several studies that assessed features of a vulnerable plaque on non-invasive imaging and evaluated them as risk predictors of future acute coronary events. Multiple recent studies suggested that coronary computed tomography angiography can accurately identify high-risk features of plaque that will predict future events.