Vulnerable plaque

Vulnerable plaque: soft plaque with spotty calcification

A vulnerable plaque in mid-portion of left anterior descending coronary artery. Low-attenuation plaque (arrow) with spotty calcification (arrowhead) is noted in mid anterior descending coronary artery on a curved multi-planar reformatted image. Note the napkin ring sign (A plaque core with low CT attenuation (asterisk) surrounded by a rim-like area of higher CT attenuation)on a magnified cross-sectional multi-planar reformatted image.

Vulnerable plaque: fatty plaque with positive modeling

Moderate stenosis with noncalcified plaque and positive remodeling is noted in the left main and proximal left anterior descending coronary artery on a curved multi-planar reformatted image. Note the low-attenuated area (arrows; 25-30 HU) within the plaque.

Vulnerable plaque: fatty plaque with positive remodeling, Napkin ring sign

A moderate stenosis with low attenuated plaque and positive remodeling is noted in the proximal left anterior descending coronary artery on a curved multi-planar reformatted image. Note the napkin ring sign on a magnified cross sectional multi-planar reformatted image. A plaque core with low CT attenuation (< 20HU; asterisk) surrounded by a rim-like area of higher CT attenuation appears as napkin ring.