Pioneering histology-based studies performed at the beginning of the last century have demonstrated that the culprit lesions responsible for sudden death have specific morphological characteristics [1-4]. More recently, Davies and Thomas have shown that plaque disruption was the main cause of coronary thrombosis and is associated with crescendo angina, myocardial infarction, and sudden death [5,6]. These landmark studies have attracted attention and efforts were made to identify features associated with plaque vulnerability. Today it is known that the high-risk lesions have a specific phenotype called thin cap fibroatheroma (TCFA) that exhibits an increased plaque burden, with a necrotic core that is covered by a thin fibrous cap and is rich in macrophages [7-10]. More recent evidence has shown that vulnerable lesions also have micro-calcifications and are rich in neo-vessels and cholesterol crystals [11-13].

doi.org/10.1201/9781315380629, hdl.handle.net/1765/111592
Department of Cardiology

Bourantas, C., Torri, R. (Ryo), Foin, N., Suri, A. (Ajay), Tenekecioglu, E., Thondapu, V., … Serruys, P. (2017). Invasive sealing of vulnerable, high-risk lesions. In Bioresorbable Scaffolds: From Basic Concept to Clinical Applications (pp. 398–409). doi:10.1201/9781315380629