Intravascular ultrasound imaging of peripheral arteries as an adjunct to balloon angioplasty and atherectomy.

This article reviews many of the applications of intravascular ultrasound (US) imaging for peripheral arterial diseases. In vitro studies demonstrate an excellent correlation between ultrasound measurements of lumen and plaque cross-sectional area compared with histologic sections. In vivo clinical studies reveal the enhanced diagnostic capabilities of this technology compared with angiography. Intravascular US imaging can provide valuable information on the degree, eccentricity, and histologic type of stenosis before intervention, and on the morphological changes in the arterial wall and the extent of excision after intervention. Intravascular US may also serve as a superior index for gauging the diameter of balloon, stent, laser probe, and/or atherectomy catheter appropriate for a proposed intervention. Significant new insights into the mechanisms of balloon angioplasty and atherectomy have been established by intravascular US findings. Intravascular US imaging has been shown to be a more accurate method than angiography for determining the cross-sectional area of the arterial lumen, and for assessing severity of stenosis. Quantitative assessment of the luminal cross-sectional area after the balloon dilatation should be more accurate than angiography as intimal tears or dissections produced by the dilatation may not be accurately evaluated with angiography. At the present time, intravascular US is still a controversial imaging technique. Outcome studies are currently being organized to assess the clinical value and cost effectiveness of intravascular ultrasound in the context of these interventional procedures.