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Detecting Cholesterol Crystals Clinically in Spontaneous Aortic Plaque Rupture

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Cholesterol Crystals in Atherosclerosis and Other Related Diseases

Part of the book series: Contemporary Cardiology ((CONCARD))

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Abstract

Non-obstructive general angioscopy (NOGA) is an advanced imaging device used to demonstrate plaques, thrombi, and injuries in all types of vessels in live patients. The precise findings of NOGA are attributed to the superior and incomparable optical resolution compared to that of computed tomography (CT) angiography or ultrasonography. Recently, the spontaneously ruptured aortic plaques (SRAPs) has been detected using NOGA. Although smaller aortic plaques were considered innocent and trivial, there was an 80.9% incidence of SRAP in patients with diagnosed or suspected coronary artery disease. A puff-chandelier rupture, a type of SRAP, contains atheromatous materials such as cholesterol crystals, fibrin, calcification, and macrophages. Furthermore, SRAPs may be mobilized to systemic organs via aortic flow, with cholesterol crystals possibly inducing mechanical obstruction and the NLRP3 inflammasome. With the accumulation of asymptomatic injuries due to silent embolisms, which may be related to aging and chronic inflammation, the need for accurate and precise diagnostics should be considered crucial.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Center, Osaka Gyoumeikan Hospital, Osaka, Japan

    Kazuhisa Kodama, Sei Komatsu & Satoru Takahashi

  2. Department of Pathology, Cardiovascular Center, Osaka Gyoumeikan Hospital, Osaka, Japan

    Chikao Yutani

Authors
  1. Kazuhisa Kodama
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  2. Chikao Yutani
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  3. Sei Komatsu
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  4. Satoru Takahashi
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA

    George S. Abela

  2. The Heart and Vascular Research Institute, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Perth, WA, Australia

    Stefan Mark Nidorf

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Kodama, K., Yutani, C., Komatsu, S., Takahashi, S. (2023). Detecting Cholesterol Crystals Clinically in Spontaneous Aortic Plaque Rupture. In: Abela, G.S., Nidorf, S.M. (eds) Cholesterol Crystals in Atherosclerosis and Other Related Diseases. Contemporary Cardiology. Humana, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-41192-2_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-41192-2_6

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