uOCT Coronary Plaque with Hystology

Seeing a Heart Attack Before it Happens

The importance of understanding coronary artery disease cannot be overstated; it is the number one cause of death in the US.  Each year half a million Americans die from heart attacks.  An equal number survive with considerable and permanent damage to their heart.

Coronary artery disease is caused by cells that are too small to visualize using modern medical imaging technologies. Our lab’s work with Micro Optical Coherence Tomography (μOCT) will change how we study, diagnose, and treat this disease by developing a new intracoronary imaging system that will allow researchers and physicians to see these cells in living human patients for the first time.

The ability to see the cell structure of a patient’s arteries will allow clinicians to diagnose and treat coronary artery disease before a heart attack occurs.

Clinical

Technology

• Coronary Artery Disease
• Barrett's Esophagus
• Hirschsprung's Disease
• Eosinophilic Esophagitis
• Celiac Disease
• Cystic Fibrosis