London, Aug 3 - Scientists have developed a new chemical imaging technique which could one day help in the fight against atherosclerosis, the condition in which an artery wall thickens as a result of a build-up of fatty materials such as cholesterol. If the artery wall thickens, it can lead to heart attacks and strokes.

The Imperial College of London team behind the new imaging technique, Attenuated Total Reflection Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopic Imaging (ATR-FTIR imaging), believe that with further refinement, it could become a useful tool for doctors wanting to assess a patient's lesions -- any abnormality of tissue in the body.

For example, by combining fibre optic technology with ATR-FTIR imaging, researchers believe doctors could carry out real-time inspections of patients with atherosclerosis, and assess the progress of a disease and the likely risks.