Atherosclerosis is characterised by the buildup of plaque in the inner lining of vessels. Unstable atherosclerotic plaques are prone to rupture, which can lead to heart attacks or strokes. Current clinically available imaging techniques cannot accurately identify unstable plaques based on their structural features. It has been previously reported that unstable plaques may emit autofluorescence. Therefore, our team has developed a dual modality optical coherence tomography and fluorescence intravascular imaging system, and a miniaturised fibre-optic probe incorporating a 3D printed lens. The 3D printed lens is designed to correct the astigmatism that arises from the intravascular catheter, and to reduce stray light. Although the 3D printed lens is made by a polymer photoresist, it has low background fluorescence. We are using our novel fibre probe to explore the autofluorescence present in unstable human plaques.
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