Stevan I. Himmelstein

Balloon angioplasty of coarctation of the aorta evaluated with intravascular ultrasound imaging

Intravascular ultrasound images were employed to evaluate aortic coarctation before and after balloon angioplasty. Measurements obtained with use of an ultrasound imaging catheter correlated well with measurements made with digital aortography, both in the area of coarctation and in areas proximal and distal to it. The intravascular ultrasound images dramatically revealed dissection of the aortic wall and an intimal flap that was not appreciated on cineaortography or digital subtraction angiography. Intravascular ultrasound imaging may yield important morphologic information unavailable by other imaging techniques. Such information may allow more precise definition of the results of intravascular procedures and improve understanding of lesion characteristics predictive of a successful outcome.

Comparison of intravascular ultrasound, external ultrasound and digital angiography for evaluation of peripheral artery dimensions and morphology

Validation of catheter-based intravascular ultrasound imaging has been based on comparisons with histology and digital angiography, each of which may have limitations in the assessment of arterial size and morphology. External, high-frequency ultrasound can accurately determine vessel dimensions and morphology and because, like ultravascular ultrasound, it also provides cross-sectional arterial ultrasound images, it may be a more appropriate technique for the in vivo comparison of arterial dimensions and morphology determined by intravascular ultrasound. Thus, intravascular ultrasound, external 2-dimensional ultrasound, Doppler color-flow imaging and digital angiography were compared for assessment of arterial dimensions and wall morphology at 29 femoral artery sites in 15 patients. Intravascular ultrasound and the other 3 imaging modalities correlated well in determination of lumen diameter (2-dimensional, r = 0.98, standard error of the estimate [SEE] = 0.14; Doppler color flow, r = 0.91, SEE = 1.11; angiography, r = 0.95, SEE = 0.91) and cross-sectional area (2-dimensional, r = 0.97, SEE = 0.04; Doppler color flow, r = 0.92, SEE = 0.14; angiography, r = 0.96, SEE = 0.08). However, lumen size measured by Doppler color flow was consistently smaller than that measured by the other 3 imaging modalities. Intravascular ultrasound detected arterial plaque at 15 sites, 5 of which were hypoechoic (soft) and 10 hyperechoic with distal shadowing (hard). Plaque was identified at 12 of 15 sites by Z-dimensional imaging (p = 0.30 vs intravascular ultrasound), but at only 6 of 15 sites by angiography (p = 0.003 vs intravascular ultrasound), only 1 of which was thought to be calcified plaque.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)