Although atherosclerosis may be diagnosed by a number of tests, detecting unstable plaques that might be ready to rupture has been a more difficult challenge for medical professionals. Usually, these sites are discovered only after the plaque has ruptured. One possible solution is a new, experimental technique called thermography. Because an elevated temperature in the arteries may provide warning of an impending rupture, researchers are studying whether a plaque rupture could be identified by basically taking the temperature of an artery with a heat-sensitive catheter.

Other techniques being researched include those that scan for whether calcification is present. Harder, calcified plaque formations may be less likely to rupture. The ultrafast CT scans for calcium in the arteries as a measurement of calcification, and the experimental intravascular MRI, helps to identify plaque formations that are softer and higher in fat content. However, more research is necessary before either of these procedures is used more regularly for this purpose.

Although a physician can treat the effects of a plaque rupture (e.g., a heart attack or stroke), there is currently no way to remove the fatty particles that are released into the bloodstream. Instead, treatment often focuses on people at high risk of plaque rupture (e.g., those who have been diagnosed with atherosclerosis), to reduce the risk of a plaque rupture in the first place.