Open Access
1 May 2008 Characterization of atherosclerosis plaques by measuring both backscattering and attenuation coefficients in optical coherence tomography
Chenyang Xu, Joseph M. Schmitt, Stephane G. Carlier, Renu Virmani
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Abstract
Intravascular optical coherence tomography (OCT) has been proven a powerful diagnostic tool for cardiovascular diseases. However, the optical mechanism for the qualitative observations are still absent. We address the fundamental issues that underlie the tissue characterization of OCT images obtained from coronary arteries. For this, we investigate both the attenuation and the backscattering properties of different plaque components of postmortem human cadaver coronary arteries. The artery samples are examined both from lumen surface using a catheter and from transversely cut surface using an OCT microscope, where OCT images could be matched to histology exactly. Light backscattering coefficient μb and attenuation coefficients μt are determined for three basic plaque types based on a single-scattering physical model: calcification (μb=4.9±1.5 mm-1, μt=5.7±1.4 mm-1), fibers (μb=18.4±6.4 mm-1, μt=6.4±1.2 mm-1), and lipid pool (μb=28.1±8.9 mm-1, μt=13.7±4.5 mm-1). Our results not only explain the origins of many qualitative OCT features, but also show that combination of backscattering and attenuation coefficient measurements can be used for contrast enhancing and better tissue characterization.
©(2008) Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE)
Chenyang Xu, Joseph M. Schmitt, Stephane G. Carlier, and Renu Virmani "Characterization of atherosclerosis plaques by measuring both backscattering and attenuation coefficients in optical coherence tomography," Journal of Biomedical Optics 13(3), 034003 (1 May 2008). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.2927464
Published: 1 May 2008
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CITATIONS
Cited by 228 scholarly publications and 13 patents.
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KEYWORDS
Optical coherence tomography

Signal attenuation

Backscatter

Tissues

Arteries

Tissue optics

Imaging systems

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