FTIR specular reflectance dichroism studies are then applied to determine molecular orientation from the surface of injection mouldings (square plaques with dimensions 60×60×2 mm, unfilled polymer; 60×60×4 mm, filled polymer) of a LC copolyester based on hydroxybenzoic acid, terephthalic acid, 4,4′-oxydibenzoic acid and chlorohydroquinone.
However, iodinated CT contrast media cannot be administered to patients with severely impaired renal function or severe contrast allergic type reaction [4], and non-contrast CT obtained in such cases is limited in its ability to evaluate non-calcified plaques and luminal dimensions in vessels.
Thus, quantification of the plaques in three dimensions does not account for the observed difference.
Due to the generally smaller dimensions of plaque within carotid arteries, the range of 0.4 to 1.0 cm of spatial resolution must be considered as an important limitation since the SUV measured on a specific point of the plaque may have been produced from a point outside the plaque.
Another method uses high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to detect and quantify the plaque volume incorporating all dimensions assessed by the previous two methods in the intact aorta and to detect the lipid-rich necrotic core without requiring histopathology [6].
Quantitative intraluminal dimensions and plaque morphology were assessed as previously described [ 5, 11, 12].
In its dimensions, the unique plaque is larger than the mass-produced terracotta plaques – popular art or devotional items – of which many were excavated in house ruins of the Isin-Larsa and Old Babylonian periods.
In addition to quantifying the dimensions of the plaque, we found that microCT can also yield information about the interior of the lesion, notably the necrotic area confirmed by histologic analysis, without resorting to those methods that may that may also alter the morphology and therefore affect volumetric measurements.
OCT allows high-resolution interrogation of atherosclerotic coronary plaques in vivo, based on validated measurements of vessel wall and lumen dimensions and characterization of plaque constituents.
