Acute coronary syndrome（ACS）mainly includes unstable angina, non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, and ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, which is the leading cause of death around the world. The main pathophysiological feature of ACS is the rupture of vulnerable plaque, which can be recognized by coronary artery angiography (CAG), intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and optical coherence tomography (OCT). Compared with CAG and IVUS, OCT is the best intravascular imaging technique so far. But all these examinations are invasive and expensive. Recently, coronary CT angiography derived adverse plaque characteristics (APC) and hemodynamic forces defined by computational fluid dynamics (CFD) can reflect plaque vulnerability and hemodynamic forces acting on the plaque, which are important factors in the progress of the rupture of vulnerable plaque. So, we want to explore predictive value of coronary CT angiography (CTA)and computational fluid dynamics for vulnerable plaque in ACS.~The PVCFD trial is a prospective and single center study, patients with ACS will be arranged to complete coronary CTA before CAG. OCT will be used to detect the characteristics of coronary atherosclerotic plaques confirmed by CAG. Lipid plaques with fibrous cap thickness less than 65um, erosion and coronary artery dissection are defined as vulnerable plaque. Patients will be divided into vulnerable plaque group and stable plaque group according to this. The coronary CTA images will be screened for APC and CFD analyses at core laboratories of Shanghai tenth's hospital. Lesions with diameter stenosis (DS) >30% based on coronary CTA evaluation were included for subsequent APC (low-attenuation plaque, positive remodeling, napkin-ring sign, and spotty calcification) analysis and hemodynamic forces (FFRCT,ΔFFRCT, WSS and PWS) defined by CFD. Three prediction models (Model 1: percent diameter stenosis + lesion length, Model 2: Model 1 + APC, Model 3: Model 2 + hemodynamic force) will be constructed to identify vulnerable plaque confirmed by OCT.
The aim of the PVCFD trial is to predict vulnerable plaque confirmed by OCT using coronary CT angiography and computational fluid dynamics in patients with acute coronary syndrome.