Prognostic Role and Therapeutic Implications of Intravascular Optical Coherence Tomography Detected Coronary Plaque Microstructures in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease.

Overview

Intracoronary optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a highly accurate and sensitive imaging tool capable of providing high resolution visualization of atherosclerotic coronary plaque morphology and microstructures in vivo. OCT has proven to be useful in clinical practice, particularly in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) guidance, assessment of stent-related complications, and elucidation of the pathobiological cause of acute coronary syndrome. Notably, OCT allows for the detection of specific plaque features (i.e., thin cap fibroatheroma, lipid-rich plaque, macrophage infiltration, healed plaques, microvessels, etc.) that are known to carry prognostic significance in the context of coronary artery disease (CAD). These insights may offer valuable information about the patient's overall atherosclerotic background, potentially supporting more personalized secondary prevention strategies, including lifestyle modification and targeted pharmacologic therapies. Recently, the role of preventive PCI in plaques with high-risk features has also been investigated with promising-though still preliminary-results. In this narrative review, we primarily aim to discuss studies evaluating the prognostic value of OCT-identified coronary plaque microstructures. We also assessed potential therapeutic implications in the management of patients with CAD.