Who gets the heart attack: noninvasive imaging markers of plaque instability.

The article discusses the use of imaging techniques to help identify the type of plaque especially for asymptomatic patients. Computed tomography (CT) angiography helps identify morphological characteristics of plaque, while positron emission tomography (PET) helps assess plaque inflammation while contrast-enhanced ultrasound helps check for adventitial vascularity and intimal demarcation in symptomatic carotid disease. Overview of cases illustrating examples of plaque inflammation, intraplaque hemorrhage, and neovascularization are also provided.