Stretchable Catheter Could Reveal High-Risk Plaque Before It Causes a Heart Attack

Some remain stable for years, while others become unstable and may rupture, triggering clots that can cause a heart attack or stroke. Identifying which lesions carry the greatest risk remains a clinical challenge because conventional imaging can miss important biological features. To address this gap, engineers at the University of Southern California (USC) are developing a stretchable catheter that generates three-dimensional maps of plaque properties.

The project, High-Resolution 3D Electrical Impedance Mapping of Metabolically Active Plaques Using Multilayered Stretchable Liquid Metal Electronics, is led by Hangbo Zhao at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering. The work is supported by a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Trailblazer Award from the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), which backs new and early-stage investigators working across engineering, the physical sciences, and the life sciences. The aim is to equip physicians with information that helps distinguish unstable plaque before rupture.

At the core is a multilayered stretchable electronic array fabricated from liquid metal using mechanics-driven manufacturing. The electronics are integrated onto a balloon catheter that can be advanced through narrow arteries in a compact profile. At the target site, the balloon inflates to press the conformable sensing surface uniformly against the vessel wall, a step that is essential for obtaining consistent electrical readings.

The device performs high-resolution electrical impedance measurements that detect features conventional imaging cannot capture. Rather than replacing existing modalities, it is intended to complement them by revealing information about plaque composition and metabolic activity. By acquiring circumferential, well-coupled signals, the system can construct a three-dimensional map that may help identify lesions at higher risk of rupture.

Zhao’s group develops soft electronic systems that bend, stretch, and conform to soft tissues, addressing the mismatch between compliant, moving blood vessels and the rigid electronics found in many devices. The team’s multilayer liquid-metal circuits maintain electrical performance while closely conforming to curved arterial surfaces. In collaboration with Tzung Hsiai at the University of California, Los Angeles, the technology will be evaluated in animal models of cardiovascular disease to assess performance under physiologically realistic conditions.

“Rather than replacing existing imaging technologies, the catheter is designed to provide physicians with additional information about plaque composition and metabolic activity,” said Hangbo Zhao, assistant professor of aerospace and mechanical engineering and biomedical engineering at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering.

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