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Temperature heterogeneity along the inner surface of an artery may be a surrogate marker of impending plaque rupture and has been associated with an increased likelihood of future coronary events. Initial studies using catheter-based thermographic devices have demonstrated that the changes in temperature are subtle, while the effects of coronary flow on measured temperature have not yet been examined. A novel guidewire-based system (ThermoCoil, Imetrx) designed to measure surface temperature in coronary arteries was used to study the effects of heat source intensity and flow on measured temperature. An in vitro model of a focal, eccentric, heat-generating lesion demonstrated that a guidewire-based system can detect changes in surface temperature with a precision of less than 0.08 degrees C. In this model, temperature measurements increased linearly with source temperature and decreased with increases in flow by an exponent of -0.33 (P < 0.001 for both). Flow rates and heat source properties can significantly influence the measurement and interpretation of thermographic data. The incorporation of 2D thermographic images may contribute further to the characterization of metabolically active plaques likely to cause acute coronary syndromes., (Copyright 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)