RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Microstructural and mechanical insight into atherosclerotic plaques– an ex vivo DTI study to better assess plaque vulnerability
JF bioRxiv
FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
SP 2022.09.20.508689
DO 10.1101/2022.09.20.508689
A1 B Tornifoglio
A1 R. D. Johnston
A1 A. J. Stone
A1 C. Kerskens
A1 C. Lally
YR 2022
UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2022/09/22/2022.09.20.508689.abstract
AB Non-invasive microstructural characterisation has the potential to determine the stability, or lack thereof, of atherosclerotic plaques and ultimately aid in better assessing plaques’ risk to rupture. If linked with mechanical characterisation using a clinically relevant imaging technique, mechanically sensitive rupture risk indicators could be possible. This study aims to provide this link – between a clinically relevant imaging technique and mechanical characterisation within human atherosclerotic plaques. Ex vivo diffusion tensor imaging, mechanical testing, and histological analysis were carried out on human carotid atherosclerotic plaques. DTI-derived tractography was found to yield significant mechanical insight into the mechanical properties of more stable and more vulnerable microstructures. Coupled with insights from digital image correlation and histology, specific failure characteristics of different microstructural arrangements furthered this finding. More circumferentially uniform microstructures failed at higher stresses and strains when compared to samples which had multiple microstructures, like those seen in a plaque cap. The novel findings in this study motivate diagnostic measures which use non-invasive characterisation of the underlying microstructure of plaques to determine their vulnerability to rupture.Statements and Declarations The authors have no competing interests or declarations to declare.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.