Transcutaneous ultrasound assessment of internal thoracic artery to coronary artery grafts in patients with and without ischaemic symptoms.

Abstract

For those patients whose internal thoracic artery graft can be imaged, transcutaneous duplex ultrasound is a helpful non-invasive guide to graft function. The main limitations to the technique are an inability to image the graft in about 20% of patients, and possible inaccuracy in estimating graft diameter.