In-vivo intravascular intervention with parylene micro-electrode to diagnose rupture-prone atherosclerotic plaque using electrical impedance spectroscopy

It is of great clinical interest to have easy and reliable diagnostic techniques to localize and identify vulnerable plaques. Here, an in-vivo, catheter-integrated and balloon-mounted Parylene-C micro electrode impedance sensor was developed for intra-vascular interrogation of atherosclerotic vulnerable plaques using Electrical Impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Successful in vivo experiments of the EIS device were demonstrated using high-fat-dieted New Zealand rabbits. The results showed that electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) with micro parylene electrodes is promising to distinguish unstable plaques.