Intracoronary near-infrared spectroscopy-role and clinical applications

Intracoronary near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) has been developed and validated for the detection of lipid-rich plaque in the coronary arteries. A combined NIRS and intravascular ultrasound catheter is currently in clinical use and has an emerging role in evaluating plaques both before and after percutaneous coronary intervention. NIRS has recently been shown to positively identify both vulnerable patients and vulnerable plaques. This review focuses on the principles and image interpretation of intracoronary NIRS, as well as its clinical applications, limitations, and future directions.