Nature or the natural evolution of plaque: what matters?

ABSTRACT Progression to major acute cardiovascular events often is triggered by an atherosclerotic plaque complicated by rupture or erosion, namely the vulnerable plaque. Early and secure identification of these plaques would allow the development of individualized therapeutic and pharmacological strategies, applied in a timely manner. Imaging methods have a huge potential in detecting and monitoring the evolution of vulnerable plaque. Even though there are multiple invasive and noninvasive techniques, clinical application is for now a matter of choosing the relevant imaging feature for the prognosis, the methodo-logy of study and the target population.