From the epicardial adipose tissue to vulnerable coronary plaques

Figure 4 An intravascular ultrasound analysis of the left anterior descending coronary artery in an asymptomatic patient with a previously deployed stent (not shown) that underwent this study as part of an institutional protocol. A-D: In the pericardial side (Peri) of the vessel, an eccentric and positively remodeled plaque with heterogenic echo-reflection that included a hypoechogenic area, suggestive of a potentially “high risk” plaque, was found (arrows); E: Interestingly, just adjacently and in the opposite vessel side [myocardial side (Myo)], a calcified plaque with intense posterior shadowing, highly suggestive of a stable fibro-calcific plaque (arrows), was also observed. The patient has been asymptomatic during a 3-year clinical follow-up.