Blocking of a blood vessel by cholesterol-rich atheromatous deposits, generally occurring in the flow from a large artery to small arterial branches. It is also called arterial-arterial embolization or atheroembolism which may be spontaneous or iatrogenic. Patients with spontaneous atheroembolism often have painful, cyanotic digits of acute onset. The disease is cholesterol embolism (Monarch Disease Ontology id MONDO_0005568). Also known as: atheroembolism, cholesterol crystal embolism.