Background
Limitations
Percutaneous coronary treatment is based on flow-limiting lesions. However, atheromas, which are prone to rupture and cause sudden death- the so-called vulnerable plaques - are not easily identified.
X-rays
For about a hundred years, similar X-ray based technologies have been the standard for endovascular intervention. And many people who have invasive coronary angiography are asymptomatic.
Endovascular MRI
MRI has attracted attention for interventions, but the modality imposes difficult device requirements-safety, visualization and tracking, and compactness, are difficult to achieve in an endovascular probe, especially when trying to deliver an MRI guidewire.