Intravascular Ultrasound

Procedure that uses a tiny ultrasound "camera", which is threaded into the coronary arteries to give physicians a cross-sectional view, showing where the normal artery wall ends and the plaque begins.

A tiny ultrasound “cameraâ€? that is threaded into the arteries to give physicians a cross-sectional view, showing where the normal artery wall ends and the plaque begins. Used in conjunction with angiography, the catheter-based IVUS technology gives physicians a more detailed understanding of the plaque in patientsâ€(tm) arteries. In certain situations, IVUS can aid in the selection and sizing of stents and balloons and can offer assurance that a stent has been properly deployed.