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Figure 1 Apparatus for Fixing an Arterial Sample, Gross and Histologic Views, and Close-Up of NIRS Catheter

(A) A coronary artery segment mounted in a fixture to ensure registration of intraluminal near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) signals with histology. The vertical rods permit precise sectioning at 2-mm intervals. (B and C) Gross and microscopic cross-sections. Histomorphometry outlines show the lumen (red), lipid core (blue), and a small lipid pool (yellow). The angle subtended by the lipid core is shown in green. Radii used to measure cap and core thickness are in black. (D) The imaging tip of the NIRS catheter lying on a U.S. penny.