Validation of a New Animal Model of Vulnerable Plaques by Intravascular Optical Coherence Tomography In Vivo

Figure 1

Procedure of OCT imaging and injury (schematic). (a) The imaging catheter and injury-causing device are advanced initially to the common carotid artery through the external carotid branch (arrow (1)). At the end of the study, the imaging catheter is again advanced to the common carotid artery through the region between the old incision and the big branch (arrow (2) or arrow (3)). (b) Balloon injury results in endothelial denudation with the formation of concentric lesions (arrows indicate the sites of endothelial denudation). (c) A modified metal needle generates an endothelial injury with the formation of eccentric lesions (arrows indicate the sites of endothelial denudation). (d) A modified metal needle with a blunt and rounded front head and diameter of 0.0285 inches was employed.