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Imaging Subclinical Atherosclerosis: Is It Ready for Prime Time? A Review

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Abstract

Imaging subclinical atherosclerosis holds the promise of individualized cardiovascular (CV) risk assessment. The large arsenal of noninvasive imaging techniques available today is playing an increasingly important role in the diagnosis and monitoring of subclinical atherosclerosis. However, there is a debate about the advisability of clinical screens for subclinical atherosclerosis and which modality is the most appropriate for monitoring risk and atherosclerosis progression. This article offers an overview of the traditional and emerging noninvasive imaging modalities used to detect early atherosclerosis, surveys population studies addressing the value of subclinical atherosclerosis detection, and also examines guideline recommendations for their clinical implementation. The clinical relevance of this manuscript lies in the potential of current imaging technology to improve CV risk prediction based on traditional risk factors and the present recommendations for subclinical atherosclerosis assessment. Noninvasive imaging will also help to identify individuals at high CV who would benefit from intensive prevention or therapeutic interventions.

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Abbreviations

CACS:

Coronary artery calcium score

CT:

Computed tomography

CV:

Cardiovascular

IMT:

Intima-media thickness

FRS:

Framingham risk score

PET:

Positron-emission tomography

SPECT:

Single positron emission computed tomography

MRI:

Magnetic resonance imaging

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Acknowledgments

We are thankful to Dr. Simon Bartlett (CNIC editing services) for his proficient revision of the language in this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (CNIC), Madrid, Spain

    Leticia Fernández-Friera, Borja Ibáñez & Valentín Fuster

  2. Unidad de Imagen Cardiaca, Hospital Universitario Monteprincipe, Madrid, Spain

    Leticia Fernández-Friera

  3. Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Madrid, Spain

    Borja Ibáñez

  4. Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1030, New York, NY, 10029, USA

    Valentín Fuster

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  1. Leticia Fernández-Friera
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  2. Borja Ibáñez
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  3. Valentín Fuster
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Correspondence to Valentín Fuster.

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Associate Editor Angela Taylor oversaw the review of this article

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Fernández-Friera, L., Ibáñez, B. & Fuster, V. Imaging Subclinical Atherosclerosis: Is It Ready for Prime Time? A Review. J. of Cardiovasc. Trans. Res. 7, 623–634 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12265-014-9582-4

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