ABSTRACT
Intracoronary ultrasound is a new technique, by means of which it is possible for the first time to visualise coronary artery wall structures in vivo. Compared to conventional coronary angiography the advances of this new modality appear to be: 1) Improved diagnosis of minimal and non-obstructive atherosclerosis; 2) Characterisation of plaque morphology, thereby being an aid in decision on interventional procedures (PTCA, atherectomy, stent placement); 3) Better delineation of coronary artery lumen area, which improves the accuracy of stenosis graduation both before and after interventional procedures. The examination can be performed in up to 95% of cases. The procedure appears to be safe with a reported complication rate of myocardial infarction and bypass surgery of 0.16% in 1837 cases; transient coronary artery spasms occurred in about 3%. Complications are predominantly associated with interventional procedures. Although intracoronary ultrasound has mainly been used for research purposes, results of ongoing trials assessing its clinical utility, as well as technological improvement providing more consistent image quality, suggest that the procedure will evolve into an important adjunct to coronary angiography.