 | This article needs more reliable medical references for verification or relies too heavily on primary sources. (November 2021) |  |
| Intravascular ultrasound | |
|---|---|
| ICD-9-CM | 00.2 |
| OPS-301 code | 3-05e |
| MedlinePlus | 007266 |
Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) or intravascular echocardiography is a medical imaging methodology using a specially designed catheter with a miniaturized ultrasound probe attached to the distal end of the catheter. The proximal end of the catheter is attached to computerized ultrasound equipment. It allows the application of ultrasound technology, such as piezoelectric transducer or CMUT, to see from inside blood vessels out through the surrounding blood column, visualizing the endothelium (inner wall) of blood vessels.[1]
The arteries of the heart (the coronary arteries) are the most frequent imaging target for IVUS. IVUS is used in the coronary arteries to determine the amount of atheromatous plaque built up at any particular point in the epicardial coronary artery. Intravascular ultrasound provides a unique method to study the regression or progression of atherosclerotic lesions in vivo.[2] The progressive accumulation of plaque within the artery wall over decades leads to the development of unstable vulnerable plaque which can detach as clots leading to strokes and heart attacks. IVUS is of use to determine both plaque volume within the wall of the artery and/or the degree of stenosis of the artery lumen. It can be especially useful in situations in which angiographic imaging is considered unreliable; such as for the lumen of ostial lesions or where angiographic images do not visualize lumen segments adequately, such as regions with multiple overlapping arterial segments. It is also used to assess the effects of treatments of stenosis such as with hydraulic angioplasty expansion of the artery, with or without stents, and the results of medical therapy over time.
- ^ Hector M. Garcia-Garcia, Bill D. Gogas, Patrick W. Serruys & Nico Bruining (2011). "IVUS-based imaging modalities for tissue characterization: similarities and differences". The International Journal of Cardiovascular Imaging. 27 (2): 215–224. doi:10.1007/s10554-010-9789-7. PMC 3078312. PMID 21327914.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Sgura FA, Di Mario C (June 2001). "[New methods of coronary imaging II. Intracoronary ultrasonography in clinical practice]". Ital Heart J Suppl (in Italian). 2 (6): 579–92. PMID 11460831.