Estimation of Atherosclerotic Plaque Material Properties: A Mixed Method of Strain Imaging and Inverse Finite Element Analysis

Atherosclerosis is a cardiovascular disease characterized by plaque formation in the vessel wall. Plaque rupture initiates thrombus formation and may lead to myocardial infarction, stroke and eventually, to sudden death [1]. A plaque ruptures when the mechanical stress in the plaque exceeds its strength. Thus, biomechanical models have a great potential to predict plaque rupture. For reliable prediction models, correct material properties of plaque components at large strains are prerequisite. However, the data available in literature are limited and show a wide range.