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Figure 1 A summary of the sites of temperature measurements for the computation of Tl (difference between the atherosclerotic plaque and the proximal vessel wall) and Tp (difference between the proximal vessel wall temperature and the maximal temperature during complete flow interruption and after balloon deflation). After recording the temperature at the proximal vessel wall (PVW) at baseline, three measurements were obtained at the lesion: 1) at baseline, 2) during coronary flow interruption, and 3) after balloon deflation. Thus, Tl was obtained at these three phases of the study. Thereafter, temperature was recorded at the PVW: 1) during coronary blood flow interruption, and 2) after balloon deflation. The Tp was obtained at these two phases, respectively.