Intravascular ultrasound imaging of human coronary arteries in vivo. Analysis of tissue characterizations with comparison to in vitro histological specimens.

Abstract

Intravascular ultrasound appears to be more sensitive than angiography for demonstrating the presence and extent of atherosclerosis and arterial calcification. Intracoronary imaging after balloon angioplasty reveals that a significant amount of atheroma is still present, which may partly explain why the incidence of restenosis is high after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty.