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Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) offer complementary information about plaque.
| Primary Use of IVUS | Primary Use of OCT |
|---|---|
| Insight into plaque volume | Detection of specific features of plaque vulnerability |
IVUS produces cross-sectional images of the lumen and coronary artery wall using catheter-based ultrasound transducers, reaching 100 μm resolution. This allows for the assessment of changes in plaque burden.
Cross-sectional images
Depicts the lumen and superficial layer (intimal) of the arterial wall by measuring near-infrared light intensity reflected from tissue
The highest spatial resolution capability
(< 10μm)
Allows for higher sensitivity to detect certain features of plaque vulnerability, including the fibrous cap and the lipid core
| Imaging modality |
Resolution | Penetration | Fibrous cap | Lipid core | Inflammation | Calcium | Thrombus | Assesses Plaque Burden | Current Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IVUS | 100µm | Good | + | ++ | – | +++ | + | Yes2,3,* | CS/CA |
| OCT | 10µm | Poor | +++ | +++ | + | +++ | + | Limited2,3,† | CS |
+++ = sensitivity > 90%
++ = sensitivity 80% to 90%
+ = sensitivity 50% to 80%
– = sensitivity < 50%
*Assesses plaque burden and identifies vulnerable plaque characteristics.
†Identifies certain characteristics of vulnerable plaque, including fibrous cap and lipid core, but poor depth of penetration to assess deep plaque structures and plaque volume.
CS = clinical studies; CA = clinically approved for commercial use.