Targeting the inflammatory component in atherosclerotic lesions vulnerable to rupture.

Thrombosis of the coronary artery following plaque rupture is the commonest substrate of acute coronary events. The detection of atherosclerotic plaques prone to rupture would allow identifying patients at risk for acute coronary events and aggressive intervention. It has been assumed that the plaque morphology happens to be the major determinant for clinical outcome. The risk of plaque rupture depends upon the prevalence of plaques that have a large lipid core, a thin fibrous cap, and a dense inflammation of the fibrous cap. Evaluating monocytes and the lipid core and their proportions in the atherosclerotic lesion by novel radionuclide imaging strategies may predict a likelihood of an acute coronary event.