Local characterization of collagen architecture and mechanical failure properties of fibrous plaque tissue of atherosclerotic human carotid arteries

2023

Atherosclerotic plaque rupture in carotid arteries is a major cause of cerebrovascular events. Plaque rupture is the mechanical failure of the heterogeneous fibrous plaque tissue. Local characterization of the tissue's failure properties and the collagen architecture are of great importance to have insights in plaque rupture for clinical event prevention. Previous studies were limited to average rupture properties and global structural characterization, and did not provide the necessary local information. In this study, we assessed the local collagen architecture and failure properties of fibrous plaque tissue, by analyzing 30 tissue strips from 18 carotid plaques. Our study framework entailed second harmonic generation imaging for local collagen orientation and dispersion, and uniaxial tensile testing and digital image correlation for local tissue mechanics. The results showed that 87% of the imaged locations had collagen orientation close to the circumferential direction (0°) of the artery, and substantial dispersion locally. All regions combined, median [Q1:Q3] of the predominant angle measurements was -2° [-16°:16°]. The stretch ratio measurements clearly demonstrated a nonuniform stretch ratio distribution in the tissue under uniaxial loading. The rupture initiation regions had significantly higher stretch ratios (1.26 [1.15-1.40]) than the tissue average stretch ratio (1.11 [1.10-1.16]). No significant difference in collagen direction and dispersion was identified between the rupture regions and the rest of the tissue. The presented study forms an initial step towards gaining better insights into the characterization of local structural and mechanical fingerprints of fibrous plaque tissue in order to aid improved assessment of plaque rupture risk. Statement of significance: Plaque rupture risk assessment, critical to prevent cardiovascular events, requires knowledge on local failure properties and structure of collagenous plaque tissue. Our current knowledg
ImPhys/Medical Imaging
ImPhys/Verweij group
Medical Instruments & Bio-Inspired Technology

Atherosclerosis; Digital image correlation; Mechanical testing; Plaque rupture; Second harmonic generation; journal article

10.1016.j.actbio.2023.04.022

Open access content. Open access content
© 2023 Su Guvenir Torun, Pablo de Miguel Munoz, Hanneke Crielaard, Hence J.M. Verhagen, Gert Jan Kremers, A.F.W. van der Steen, A.C. Akyildiz

English

NLTUD oai:tudelft.nl:uuid:00c64bf9-b9b7-43b5-a82f-32ded4ad5dc3
doi:10.1016/j.actbio.2023.04.022
1390838050

DELFT UNIV OF TECHNOL
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