Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow References
Right arrow E-letters: Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when E-letters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Disclaimer
Right arrow Request Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by DeFranco, A.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow Articles by DeFranco, A.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?


Understanding the pathophysiology of the arterial wall: which method should we choose? Intra-vascular ultrasound

A. DeFranco*

McLaren Regional Medical Center, Flint, Michigan, USA

* Correspondence: Anthony DeFranco, Medical Director, Heart and Vascular Center, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Michigan State University, McLaren Regional Medical Center, 401 S Ballenger Highway, Flint, MI 48532, USA.

Abstract

Intra-vascular ultrasound (IVUS) is an ideal technology for studying the progression, stabilization and potential regression of coronary atherosclerosis. Unlike angiography, IVUS is able to image atheroma within the vessel wall directly, allowing measurement of atheroma size, distribution and, to some extent, composition. The tomographical orientation of ultrasound enables visualization of the full 360° circumference of the vessel wall, so that lumen dimensions can be directly planimetered on a cross-sectional image. This allows precise assessment of the extent of disease in vessels that are often difficult to assess with angiography. IVUS also allows excellent resolution of structures within the arterial wall. It provides a reproducible, safe and sensitive method for assessing the development and extent of atherosclerosis, particularly in its earlier, pre-symptomatic stages.

Key Words: Angiography • atherosclerosis • intra-vascular ultrasound


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?




Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.