Label-free assessment of biochemical markers of atherosclerotic plaque progression using intravascular fluorescence lifetime

Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging (FLIm) enables label-free characterization of tissue composition based on distinct spectral and temporal fluorescence signatures from biological samples. We leverage a database of intraluminal FLIm-IVUS imaging data associated with histological findings to demonstrate the detection of foam cells(540-nm lifetime increase, ROC-AUC=0.94 for foam cell infiltration >25%), superficial calcium (450-nm lifetime decrease), and regions of active plaque formation (390-nm lifetime increase). The ability of FLIm to provide information that complements existing intravascular imaging modalities opens new perspectives to improve our understanding of plaque development and improve risk assessment in patients at risk of acute coronary events.