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Plaque Imaging and Applications
HIGH-RISK PLAQUE (Also Called VULNERABLE PLAQUE): Our
products fill the void created by an ongoing paradigm shift in
cardiovascular medicine. Traditional risk factors such as stenosis
(vessel blockage) are giving way to direct imaging assessments of the
actual plaques that are blocking the vessels. By identifying and
characterizing the high-risk features of the plaques themselves,
physicians can steer their patients toward the most suitable therapy
for their specific plaque type.
For more information, consult this consensus report appearing in the journal Circulation: From Vulnerable Plaque to Vulnerable Patient - A Call for New Definitions and Risk Assessment Strategies.
VESSEL WALL MRI: Magnetic
Resonance Imaging provides a valuable tool for probing the
features of the atherosclerotic artery wall. MRI provides multiple
contrast weightings that exhibit high and variable contrast between
tissues. These features have made MRI the de facto standard for
characterizing plaque within the carotid artery wall.
Researches have shown that MRI plaque characterization provides reliable bio-markers to stratify the future risk of stroke and related neurological complications, to plan for treatments, and to monitor progression.
BASIC FACTS ON STROKES:
Basic facts on strokes by AHA
Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics -- 2009 Update (At-a-Glance Version) provides a quick overview of the latest statistics relating to cardiovascular disease, risk factors, quality of care and other topics.
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