Noninvasive Coronary Atherosclerotic Plaque Imaging.

Coronary artery disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Despite remarkable advances in the management of coronary artery disease, the prediction of adverse coronary events remains challenging. Over the preceding decades, considerable effort has been made to improve risk stratification using noninvasive imaging. Recently, these efforts have increasingly focused on the direct imaging of coronary atherosclerotic plaque. Modern imaging now allows imaging of coronary plaque burden, plaque type, atherosclerotic plaque activity, and plaque thrombosis, which have major potential to refine patient risk stratification, aid decision making, and advance future clinical practice. [Display omitted] • The prediction of adverse coronary events remains challenging. • Noninvasive imaging in coronary artery disease is increasingly being focused on the atherosclerotic plaque. • The assessment of plaque burden, plaque type, disease activity, and plaque thrombosis hold promise in improving patient risk stratification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]