Intravascular ultrasound

Should it prove impossible to accurately assess the degree of coronary artery stenosis present even following cardiac catheterization with x-ray imaging, and after taking into consideration previous examinations using ECGs, stress ECGs, stress echocardiography or myocardial scintigraphy, the physician can resort to intravascular ultrasound.



Due to the fact that the results of the ultrasound examination become available immediately, this procedure ensures that where immediate treatment is necessary this is not subject to delays. For instance, should a patient require balloon angioplasty or stent implantation in order to treat the stenotic artery, this can be done immediately and as part of the same procedure - also avoiding the need for recatheterization. Once the stenosis has been treated using balloon angioplasty and/or stent implantation, an ultrasound can be performed in order to determine whether treatment has been successful.