Fig. 1: Comparison of morphological characteristics of plaque rupture and erosion to cause ACS.

Illustration of cross-sections of ruptured plaque (a) and eroded plaque (b) with intraluminal thrombosis. In vivo optical coherence tomography images of atherosclerotic plaque rupture with a large emptied cavity (asterisks) communicating with the vessel lumen (c), and plaque erosion with a white thrombus rich in platelets (arrowheads) attached at the site of erosion (d).