The pericoronary fat attenuation index (FAI), which capture by standard coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA), has emerged as a novel imaging biomarker of coronary inflammation. This study aimed to assess whether increased Pericoronary FAI on CCTA are associated with high-risk plaque (HRP) feature as well as local T cell subsets and their intracellular cytokines levels in non-ST elevation acute coronary syndromes ( ACS) patients. 195 lesions in 130 non-ST elevation ACS patients were prospectively enrolled and evaluated by CCTA and coronary angiography in this study. Blood were taken from coronary artery immediately after the diagnostic angiogram. Local T cell subsets and their intracellular cytokines levels were detected by Flow Cytometry. CCTA and pericoronary FAI examinations were performed using a 320-detecor (Aquilion ONE, Toshiba Medical Systems, Otawara, Japan) Systems. Coronary plaque characteristics were analyzed cross each of the main coronary arteries using commercialized software package (Qangio CT, Medis, The Netherlands).
This study aimed to investigate the relationship between CCTA-based pericoronary inflammation and plaque features as well as local immune-inflammatory biomarkers in ACS patients. It is hypothesized that perivascular FAI might serve as a reliable sensor of coronary immune-inflammatory disorder, and closely related to the plaque vulnerability.