The role of precise imaging with intravascular ultrasound in coronary and peripheral interventions

Abstract

Nicolas W Shammas, Qais Radaideh, W John Shammas, Ghassan E Daher, Rayan Jo Rachwan, Yazan RadaidehMidwest Cardiovascular Research Foundation, Davenport, IA, USAAbstract: Angiography remains a widely utilized imaging modality during vascular procedures. Angiography, however, has its limitations by underestimating the true vessel size, plaque morphology, presence of calcium and thrombus, plaque vulnerability, true lesion length, stent expansion and apposition, residual narrowing post intervention and the presence or absence of dissections. Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) has emerged as an important adjunctive modality to angiography. IVUS offers precise imaging of the vessel size, plaque morphology and the presence of dissections and guides interventional procedures including stent sizing, assessing residual narrowing and stent apposition and expansion. IVUS-guided treatment has shown to yield superior outcomes when compared to angiography-only guided therapy. The cost-effectiveness of the routine use of IVUS during vascular procedures needs to be further studied.Keywords: intravascular ultrasound, vessel size, peripheral artery disease, coronary artery disease, dissections, thrombus, stent apposition, plaque morphology  

Keywords

• intravascular ultrasound
• vessel size
• peripheral artery disease
• coronary artery disease
• dissections
• thrombus
• stent apposition
• plaque morphology