Time-Resolved Spectroscopy of Unstable Arterial Plaques

描述(逐字摘自申请人的摘要)：目的 应用是开发一种新的光谱学技术来检测 动脉粥样硬化斑块的特征研究和临床关注， 尤其是不稳定的斑块。总体目标是确定光谱 可与动脉粥样硬化斑块相关的特征 不稳定斑块的病理特点。而动脉粥样硬化是一个终生的问题 主要结果是进展性疾病、临床并发症和死亡。 斑块突然破裂。早期诊断不稳定斑块是治疗 提高了心血管患者的治疗和存活率。原因和 斑块破裂的确切机制尚不清楚。 组织病理学证据表明，斑块本身的成分是一种 重要的预测因素。我们提出了时间分辨激光诱导 荧光光谱(TR-LIFS)技术作为表征生物多样性的工具 动脉壁的成分，用于区分不稳定的斑块。 在进展过程中，细胞的生化成分和形态 动脉粥样硬化斑块变化导致血管光学特性改变 纸巾。所提出的TR-LIFS系统将同时获得光谱和 时间分辨荧光信息与光谱相结合的丰富 增强组织特征化的参数。三个具体目标将是 解决：1)在现有的TR-LIF技术的基础上建立并确定 利用这项技术表征斑块的最佳方法 活体内。这将通过开发一种便携式TR-LIF系统进行评估，该系统能够 在活体条件下操作并在动物身上测试这一新系统 动脉粥样硬化模型。2)体内和体外颈动脉的特性 并识别那些可以区分斑块的光谱特征 斑块不稳定。这将通过测量颈动脉的TR-LIFS来实现 颈动脉内膜剥脱术患者的斑块及其比较 与斑块的组织病理学检查结果一致。3)积攒 时间分辨光谱数据分析的现有算法和方法 并提出了损伤分类和不稳定特征的方法 身份证明。这将通过调查数据分析进行评估， 统计和分类方法，可以最佳地利用 由TR-LIFS数据提供的光谱参数。这项研究将提供一种 一种能够检测和监控组成特征的技术 动脉粥样硬化病变可预测斑块破裂。这项研究将 促进颈动脉病变的研究成果转化为临床 识别和治疗那些更有可能的患者的实践 有一个不稳定的斑块。

DESCRIPTION (Verbatim from the Applicant's Abstract): The purpose of this application is to develop a novel optical spectroscopy technique for detecting characteristics of atherosclerotic plaques of research and clinical interest, particularly unstable plaques. The overall goal is to determine spectroscopic characteristics of atherosclerotic plaques that can be correlated with pathological features of unstable plaques. While atherosclerosis is a lifelong progressive disease, clinical complications and death are primarily the result of sudden plaque rupture. Early diagnostic of unstable plaques is the key to improved treatment and survival rates of cardiovascular patients. The cause and the exact mechanism of plaque rupture are not well understood. Histopathological evidence suggests that composition of the plaque itself is an important predictor factor. We propose the Time-Resolved Laser-Induced Fluorescence Spectroscopy (TR-LIFS) technique as a tool for characterizing the composition of the arterial wall and for distinguishing unstable plaques. During progression, the biochemical composition and morphology of the atherosclerotic plaque changes leading to altered optical characteristics of the tissue. The proposed TR-LIFS system will obtain both spectral and time-resolved fluorescence information and combine the wealth of spectroscopic parameters for enhancing tissue characterization. Three specific aims will be addressed: 1) to build-up on the existing TR-LIFS technique and to determine the best methodology for utilizing this technique to characterize plaque in-vivo. This will be assessed by developing a portable TR-LIFS system capable of operating in in-vivo conditions and testing this new system in an animal atherosclerotic model. 2) To characterize in in-vivo and ex-vivo carotid artery plaque and to identify those spectroscopic features that may distinguish the unstable plaque. This will be accomplished by TR-LIFS measurements of carotid plaques in patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy and comparison of those findings to that of histopathological examination of the plaque. 3) To build-up on the existing algorithms/methods for time-resolved spectroscopy data analysis and to advance methods for lesions classification and features of instability identification. This will be assessed by investigating data analysis, statistical, and classification methods that can optimally use the wealth of spectroscopic parameters provided by TR-LIFS data. This research will provide a technique capable of detecting and monitoring compositional features of atherosclerotic lesion predictable of plaque rupture. This study will facilitate translation of research findings on carotid lesions into clinical practice for identifying and treating those patients who are more likely to have an unstable plaque.