8 – Atherosclerotic plaque

Over the past decade, significant strides have been made in advanced non-invasive cardiac imaging. Technological advances in both hardware and software applications have made direct visualization of atherosclerotic plaque a reality. These advances have come at a crucial time, and help to fill a gap in contemporary diagnostic modalities, which have additionally translated to refining cardiovascular prognosis. In this chapter, the utility and application of arterial ultrasound, coronary computed tomography, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, single-photon emission computed tomography, and positron emission tomography will be discussed.