Invasive imaging of vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques in coronary artery disease

Coronary artery disease remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality in many developed countries, despite the multidisciplinary approach to its prevention and treatment. Over the past 2 decades, several catheter-based imaging modalities have been developed for precisely visualizing the morphology of coronary plaques that are susceptible to causing subsequent cardiovascular events. This review article summarizes the pathology of vulnerable plaque as a target for invasive imaging technology, and discusses the current role of invasive coronary imaging technologies in identifying high-risk coronary atherosclerotic lesions and supporting clinical decision-making.