Real-Time Catheter Molecular Sensing of Inflammation in Proteolytically Active Atherosclerosis

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Abstract
Background— To enable intravascular detection of inflammation in atherosclerosis, we developed a near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF) catheter-based strategy to sense cysteine protease activity during vascular catheterization. Methods and Results— The NIRF catheter design was based on a clinical coronary artery guidewire. In phantom studies of NIRF plaques, blood produced only a mild (P P P r =0.82, P Conclusions— An intravascular fluorescence catheter can detect cysteine protease activity in vessels the size of human coronary arteries in real time with an activatable NIRF agent. This strategy could aid in the detection of inflammation and high-risk plaques in small arteries.