Intravascular imaging of coronary calcification and its clinical implications

Gary S Mintz

doi:10.1016/j.jcmg.2015.02.003

Intravascular imaging of coronary calcification and its clinical implications

JACC Cardiovasc Imaging. 2015 Apr;8(4):461-471. doi: 10.1016/j.jcmg.2015.02.003.

Author

Gary S Mintz¹

Affiliation

¹ Cardiovascular Research Foundation, New York, New York. Electronic address: gmintz@crf.org.

PMID: 25882575
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcmg.2015.02.003

Abstract

Calcium impacts the natural history and treatment of coronary artery disease in many ways. Intravascular imaging studies, mostly intravascular ultrasound, but more recently studies using optical coherence tomography, have been instrumental in increasing our understanding of the relationship between calcium and coronary atherosclerosis, the predictors, the natural history of this relationship, and the impact on treatment. On one hand, stable coronary lesions are associated with more calcium than unstable lesions; and the amount of calcium may affect the success of percutaneous coronary intervention. On the other hand, calcium correlates with plaque burden; unstable lesions are associated with focal calcium deposits; and calcific nodules are one of the morphologies of vulnerable plaque. This review focuses on more than 20 years of intravascular imaging studies of the relationship between calcium and coronary atherosclerosis.

Keywords: calcium; intravascular ultrasound; optical coherence tomography.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Coronary Artery Disease / diagnosis*
Coronary Artery Disease / diagnostic imaging
Humans
Tomography, Optical Coherence*
Ultrasonography, Interventional*
Vascular Calcification / diagnosis*
Vascular Calcification / diagnostic imaging