Intravascular Ultrasound (IVUS) and Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT)


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Angiography gives a detailed 2 dimension view of the artery however it suffers from a lot of drawbacks. The percentage of blockage might vary from cardiologist to cardiologist as a visual estimate is used to identify it. Intravascular Ultrasound (IVUS) and Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) overcome many of the drawbacks.

An angiography is a lumenography where the artery is visualised from the outside whereas Intravascular Ultrasound (IVUS) and Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) visualize the vessel from the inside. Intravascular Ultrasound uses ultrasound waves and Optical Coherence Tomography uses infrared waves.


  • The advantages of OCT/IVUS over angiography
The advantages of OCT/IVUS over angiography
  1. Better visualisation of the vessel with superior resolution.
  2. Better profiling of calcium inside the plaque and therefore specialised directed therapy like rotablation or cutting balloon.
  3. Optimal stent deployment. Many times the stent which seems deployed well in the artery might be improperly deployed on IVUS / OCT. This is especially important for high-risk angioplasty like left main coronary artery interventions. where any under deployment can lead to disastrous complications.
  4. Incase of instent restenosis. One of the major complications that can occur with stents is stenosis reoccurring inside the stent. The cause of this complication could vary from underdeployment inside the stent, to atherosclerosis or redeposition of cholesterol plaque inside the stent. Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) helps identify the exact mechanism and direct therapy towards it.

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© Behearthealthy 2023. All rights reserved. Site Designed by U1R