Identifying Vulnerable Plaques in Blood Vessels of the Heart Using a New Imaging Technique

Running, not enrolling · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Coronary Arteriosclerosis

In brief

Atherosclerosis, a condition in which fatty deposits of plaque build up along the inner walls of arteries, is a condition that may increase the risk of having a heart attack. Previous studies have shown that the presence of a specific kind of plaque, known as vulnerable plaque, is often found in people who have had a heart attack. This study will use a new imaging technique called optical frequency domain imaging (OFDI) to examine the presence of vulnerable plaques in people with coronary artery disease.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT00540761

Run by

Massachusetts General Hospital

People needed

320

Starts

2007-07-25

Expected to finish

2028-12-01

Last updated by the study team

2025-10-22

Who can join

Age: 21 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Undergoing PCTI for coronary artery disease
• Women with childbearing potential must have a negative pregnancy test within the 7 days prior to study entry

You may not qualify if…

• Kidney insufficiency (i.e., GFR<50ml/min)
• OR pregnancy
• OR participants who have had a ST elevation heart attack will be excluded for at least 72 hours post-heart attack and until cardiac enzymes return to normal. Participants who have had a non-ST elevation heart attack will be excluded if they have evidence of ongoing ischemia, defined as chest pain or new electrocardiogram (ECG) changes in the 12 hours prior to study entry and/or rising creatine kinase (CK) and CK-MB serum enzymes.
• OR high-risk and complex lesions, including tortuous blood vessels and lesions with thrombosis
• OR unprotected left main coronary artery disease
• OR enrolled in another investigational clinical trial within the 6 months prior to study entry
• OR severe peripheral vascular disease
• OR active ischemia
• OR congestive heart failure
• OR prior coronary artery bypass surgery
• OR emergent procedures
• OR inability to return for study follow-up procedures

Where it is running

• Massachusetts General Hospital — Boston, Massachusetts, United States
• Lahey Clinic — Burlington, Massachusetts, United States
• Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center — New York, New York, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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