Vulnerable Plaques: Data, Modeling, Predictions and Clinical Applications

描述(申请人提供)：大多数心血管事件，如心脏病发作或中风，都是由斑块破裂引起的，通常在没有事先警告的情况下发生。现有的筛查和诊断方法不足以在事件发生前确定受害者。医学成像已成为量化动脉粥样硬化斑块形态、狭窄程度和斑块成分的有力工具。已经开发了基于患者特定图像的建模技术来执行斑块力学分析，并导致更好地理解控制斑块进展和破裂的机制。然而，在数据采集、图像技术、模型构建和自动化、风险因素识别、预测方法以及最终过渡到临床应用方面，更广泛意义上的建模开发面临着挑战，这需要整个研究界的合作努力，使研究工作更接近实际应用。来自不同学科的研究人员需要主动分享他们的专业知识，并听取其他专家的意见，以了解大局，了解他们的学科可以做出什么贡献，了解其他学科需要从他们所处的学科中获得什么，他们的学科可以从其他学科中受益，并找出未来的研究方向。本次研讨会的目的是聚集与基于图像的心血管计算建模相关的不同学科的研究人员，交流各自领域的最新技术，提供相互的专业培训，使参与者能够拓宽他们的技能和知识基础。研讨会还将通过听取来自其他领域的专家的意见，确定所有相关领域的挑战和关键需求 区域。研讨会将有四个主题，与下面列出的四个目标相对应。我们建议举办一个为期两天的研讨会，每个主题都有半天的时间。目的1.确定与易损斑块研究相关的医学成像采集技术中的关键问题，包括图像分辨率、易损斑块识别、帽厚度、斑块内出血和血栓形成；目标2.确定力学测试和材料特性及其他边界条件的量化方面的关键问题；目标3.确定基于图像的模型开发、斑块评估、机制、破裂和临床事件的预测以及方法共享中的关键问题；目标4.模型预测和评估计划的有效性；临床和外科应用中的机械和建模分析；研究传播和商业化。专家以及初级研究人员和学生将被邀请来自所有与动脉粥样硬化斑块进展和破裂的基于图像的计算建模相关的领域，包括图像数据采集、成像技术开发、分割、组织病理学分析、机械工程、建模、患者研究、风险因素、细胞 和基因组研究，以及商业化。将作出特别努力，鼓励妇女、种族/族裔少数群体、残疾人和其他任职人数不足的个人参与讲习班的规划和宣传过程。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Most cardiovascular events such as heart attack or stroke are caused by plaque rupture which often happens without prior warning. Available screening and diagnostic methods are insufficient to identify the victims before the event occurs. Medical imaging has emerged as powerful tool to quantify atherosclerotic plaque morphology, stenosis severity and plaque compositions. Patient-specific image-based modeling techniques have been developed to perform plaque mechanical analysis and have led to better understanding of mechanisms governing plaque progression and rupture. However, challenges for modeling development in the broader sense in data acquisition, image technology, model construction and automation, identification of risk factors, prediction methods, and final transition to clinical applications are calling for collaborative effort of the entire research community to bring research effort closer to actual applications. Researchers from different disciplines need to reach out to share their expertise, as well as to listen to other experts to understand the big picture, understand what their discipline can contribute, what other discipline needs from their discipline that they are in, what their discipline can benefit from others, and figure out future research directions. The objective of this workshop is to gather researchers from different disciplines related to image-based cardiovascular computational modeling to exchange state-of-the-art techniques in their respective fields, provide mutual professional training so that participants could broaden their skills and knowledge basis. The workshop will also identify challenges and critical needs in all related areas by listening to experts from other areas. The workshop will have four themes, corresponding to the 4 aims listed below. We propose a two-day workshop, with a half-day committed to each theme. Aim 1. Identify critical issues in medical imaging acquisition techniques related to vulnerable plaque research including image resolution, vulnerable plaque identification, cap thickness, intraplaque hemorrhage, and thrombosis; Aim 2. Identify critical issues in mechanical testing and quantification of material properties and other boundary conditions; Aim 3. Identify critical issues in image-based model development, plaque assessment, mechanisms, prediction of rupture and clinical events, and method sharing; Aim 4. Validation of model predictions and assessment plan; mechanical and modeling analysis in clinical and surgical applications; Research dissemination and commercialization. Experts as well as junior researchers and students will be invited from all areas related to image-based computational modeling for atherosclerotic plaque progression and rupture, including image data acquisition, imaging technique development, segmentation, histopathological analysis, mechanical engineering, modeling, patient study, risk factors, cellular and genomic studies, and commercialization. Special effort will be made to encourage participation from women, racial/ethnic minorities, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented individuals in the planning and marketing process of the workshop.