NIR-emitting optical materials for cardiovascular implants: Toward luminescent diagnostic stents

Coronary stents have become indispensable devices in the treatment of cardiovascular disease, yet they remain passive mechanical elements incapable of providing information about the biological potentially life-threatening processes unfolding at the stent–artery interface. Early stages of restenosis, inflammation, neoatherosclerosis, or stent deformation often progress silently, remaining undetectable until clinical symptoms appear. Advances in near-infrared (NIR) nanophotonics are now enabling a new class of luminescent optical materials that can operate deep within biological tissue and respond to physiologically relevant parameters. By integrating these NIR-emitting nanomaterials into stents coatings or printed vascular stents, it becomes possible to create optical implants capable of reporting local temperature, biochemical composition, ion concentration, and other indicators of vascular health. Combined with catheter-based optical systems capable of delivering and detecting NIR light within the coronary arteries, and with AI-assisted methods for interpreting complex spectral and temporal signatures, these materials lay the foundation for diagnostic stents that provide real-time insight into vascular pathology. This Perspective examines the materials science behind NIR luminescent nanomaterials, their integration into cardiovascular implants, and the emerging optical interrogation strategies that may transform stents from passive devices into active sensors for monitoring coronary disease progression and therapeutic response.