The Use of Coronary Imaging for Predicting Future Cardiovascular Events

Background: Despite advancements in coronary artery disease (CAD) treatment with drug-eluting stent, its morbidity and mortality remain high. In context, intravascular imaging-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is increasingly recommended for better clinical outcomes in patient with CAD. Near-infrared spectroscopy-intravascular ultrasound (NIRS-IVUS), as one of the intravascular imaging methods, is effective in detecting lipid-rich plaques, which is crucial for identifying high-risk or vulnerable plaques employing near-infrared light. High lipid core burden, as identified by NIRS-IVUS, correlates with an increased risk of adverse cardiac events and shows varying degrees of efficacy in plaque management and event prevention.

Summary: This article addresses about how NIRS-IVUS can be used to predict event of CAD. The study highlights the crucial role of NIRS-IVUS in predicting future cardiovascular events. Findings indicate that the presence of high lipid core burden is related to increased risks of periprocedural myocardial infarction and reduced coronary flow during PCI. The study also outlines the predictive value of NIRS-IVUS in non-culprit lesions, where plaques with high lipid core burden significantly increase the occurrence of major adverse cardiac events as demonstrated in the PROSPECT II trial. In terms of therapeutic strategies, the study reviews the effectiveness of high-intensity lipid-lowering strategies in stabilizing vulnerable plaques, as evidenced in trials such as the YELLOW and PACMAN AMI trials.

Key messages: NIRS-IVUS emerges as a valuable diagnostic tool in treating CAD. It effectively identifies vulnerable plaques and aids in predicting and preventing future adverse cardiac events. However, to enhance its practicality and promote widespread adoption in clinical settings, further long-term outcome research of NIRS-IVUS-guided PCI is necessary. These efforts can potentially make NIRS-IVUS a more accessible and indispensable tool in cardiovascular disease management.