Application of optical coherence tomography in detecting rabbit vulnerable abdominal artery plaques

Objective To assess the value of optical coherence tomography(OCT)in detecting rabbit vulnerable abdominal artery plaques.Methods Thirty New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into balloon injury group,high fat diet group and control group(10in each group).A rabbit model of vulnerable abdominal artery plaques was established.The animals in balloon injury group and high fat diet group were fed with high fat diet for 12 weeks followed by Chinese Russell's viper venom and histamine to induce plaques and thrombosis.The animals then underwent OCT.The OCT findings were compared with the pathological findings.Results The stenosis was50%in 8suvived rabbits of balloon injury group with a larger lipid core and a fibrous cap thichness65μm,indicating that the lesions can be defined as vulnerable plaques.Vulnerable plaques were detected in 9rabbits of high fat diet group and no vulnerable plaque was observed in control group.No significant difference was found in endaterium thickness and intima-media thickness(20.2±7.6μmvs 15.2±0.9μm,453.81±87.2μmvs 434.2±86.5μm,P0.05).The plaque thickness was 392.2±34.5μmvs 380.2±57.1μm.The external elastic membrane area of the vulnerable plaque and stable plaque measured by the OCT were 16.01±4.44μmvs 10.32±2.44μm,and the plaque area was(8.08±2.37μmvs 6.80±2.17μm,P0.01).Conclusion OCT can effectively show the features of vulnerable plaques,thus playing an important role in diagnosis of vulnerable plaques and in working out of treatment strategies for coronary artery disease.