The discovery of atherosclerosis was first described by the Austrian paleontologist Johan N. Nepomuk Czemark when he observed great calcified plaques in the ascending thoracic artery in mummies. Other fellow researchers had similar findings, but one particular case gained attention. Murphy et al., in 2003, using computer tomography, revealed in a 5300-year-old mummy atherosclerotic plaques in the aorta, coronaries, carotids, and iliac arteries. In early 1900, a significant number of studies about atherosclerosis were published. Highlight for Alexander I. Ignatowski, […]

The atherosclerotic plaque formation process in the arterial walls is a very complex process. Plaque development occurs due to an interplay between endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, and immune cells. There is an increase in endothelial permeability and activation of signaling molecules, including inflammatory mediators and cell adhesion molecules. Moreover, circulating lipoproteins (particularly low-density lipoproteins – LDL) can cross the endothelial layer and be deposited in the intimal space, where they undergo oxidative changes (oxLDL), increasing the local inflammatory response. […]

Cardiology is one of the specialties that traditionally uses scientific evidence in daily practice, both in risk stratification and diagnosis, therapy and prognosis. One of the most discussed topics is atherosclerosis and inflammation, arousing great interest in the continuous knowledge acquired over the last two centuries. Several authors stand out in this historical context, for example, Rudolf Virchow in the 19th century who described the association of atherosclerosis with inflammation; Marchand in 1904, who suggested the relationship between atherosclerosis and […]

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) statistics never fail to impress even the most hardened and experienced physician. One-third of deaths worldwide are still due to cardiovascular causes (85% of those are myocardial infarction and stroke), and 75% occur in mid-to-low income countries., Half the people who died of myocardial infarction never had symptoms before the tragic event, and most never had the diagnosis of coronary artery disease. Despite our best efforts, the prevalence of ischemic heart disease (IHD) has been steadily rising […]

Conditions directly linked to atherosclerosis are among the main causes of mortality worldwide, notably ischemic stroke and coronary artery disease (CAD). Diagnosing cardiovascular disease or its progression in the early stages, aiming to apply measures that can prevent or delay its progression and subsequent complications is currently a major challenge. The identification and characterization of atherosclerotic plaques allows the identification of a significant number of patients with low or intermediate risk scores. Many of these patients would not be identified […]

The ST segment elevation infarction (STEMI) is usually precipitated by the rupture or erosion of an atherosclerotic plaque and the consequent formation of an occlusive thrombus. Early percutaneous coronary intervention is the treatment of choice for providing a more complete revascularization and less bleeding complications when compared to fibrinolysis., In the last decades, we observed a substantial development in the pharmacological and invasive treatments of STEMI, which significantly reduced early mortality. Several variables affect clinical outcomes, including patient age, time […]

Some things are strong, robust. In imaging in general, those are based on solid principles of physics that can resist the inequities of daily use. In computed tomography (CT), the main tissue densities are solid, measured in Hounsfield Units (HU), and some are really strong, calcium-strong, so to speak. Contrast resolution is an issue in CT imaging in general, mainly in the wide range of structures inside the water density spectrum. But the densities on both ends of the whole […]