Page 64 - #Dr Shahid Merchant Biography

EVALUATION OF CORONARY CALCIFICATION

CALCIUM SCORING ON CT ANGIOGRAPHY
A cardiac CT scan for coronary calcium is a non-
invasive way of obtaining information about the
presence, location and extent of calcified plaque in the
coronary arteries—the vessels that supply oxygen-
containing blood to the heart muscle. Calcified
plaque results when there is a build-up of fat and
other substances under the inner layer of the artery.
People with this disease have an increased risk for
heart attacks.

MULTISLICE SPIRAL (MSCT) CORONARY
ANGIOGRAPHY

Multi-slice Spiral Coronary Angiography is a non-
invasive technique of the detection of coronary
stenosis and extent of coronary plaque burden and
calcification.

In the latest 256 dual source multi slice CT
Angiography one can demarcate intima, medial and
outer wall (adventitial) coronary calcification.

IVUS / VIRTUAL HISTOLOGY OF PLAQUE

Intravascular Ultrasound (or IVUS) allows us to see a
coronary artery from the inside-out. It consists of a
tiny camera at the tip of the catheter that can be
slipped into the coronary arteries over the same guide
that is used to position angioplasty balloons and
stents.It gives a cross section view of heart artery
showing distinct circular layers which consist of the
lumen, intima (inner layer), media (the actual wall)
and adventitia (outer covering of the artery).IVUS
shows virtual plaque histology in colour and extent
of fatty, fibro-fatty, necrotic and calcium content of
plaque.

OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY FOR
ASSESMENT OF CORONARY CALCIFICATION

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) can delineate
calcified plaque without artefacts. The aim of this
study was to evaluate the ability of OCT to quantify
calcified plaque in ex vivo human coronary arteries.
OCT estimates of the area of calcification were more
accurate. Thus, OCT may be a more useful clinical tool
to quantify calcified plaque.