Atherosclerosis and Vascular Imaging

• Format: eBook
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI - Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute 2017
• Subjects: Biology, life sciences; carotid plaque characterization; coronary calcification for daily risk assessment; coronary calcification: a risk or benefit?; environmental influences on cardiovascular calcification; IMT vs conventional risk factors in improving risk stratification; intima media thickness (imt) accuracy in identifying high risk individuals; MRA for plaque characterization; nutritional influences on cardiovascular calcification; PET/CT use in assessing lipid cores and their clinical relevance; vascular calcification challenges in intervention; vascular imaging for direct treatment delivery
• Online Access: Open Access: DOAB, download the publication; Open Access: DOAB: description of the publication

 Cardiovascular disease is the main cause of death in the West, and vascular disease is the most common cardiovascular clinical problem. The disease results in serious morbidity and mortality, and carries economic cost implications. While conventional risk factors are well established, and their biomarkers regularly monitored, patients may continue to suffer subclinical active disease, even in the absence of risk factors, until they present with sudden cardiac death or stroke. Early disease detection using direct imaging has shown to be more accurate in identifying vulnerable patients and unstable plaques than conventional risk factors. This IJMS issue deals with the current opinion concerning the state-of-the-art imaging technologies available for clinical applications and their unique value over the sole use of conventional risk factor analysis, in identifying vulnerable patients, recommending aggressive treatments, prognosticating, and in assessing related nutritional and environmental issues.