Determining the temperature distribution of a model vessel wall under pulsed laser irradiation: an experimental attempt to measure fibrous cap thickness and detect temperature elevation in atherosclerotic lesions

In order to measure the temperature of atherosclerotic plaques, the authors developed a method to determine the temperature distribution of vessel walls using a three-layer phantom agar model. Under pulsed-laser irradiation, the thickness of upper layer corresponding to fibrous cap overlying the middle layer corresponding to atherosclerotic lesion could be calculated. The temperature was calculated from measured temperature changes under pulsed-laser irradiation.