In vitro correlation of intravascular ultrasound and direct magnification radiography for calcified arterial lesions.
OBJECTIVE
Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) is an adjunct to contrast angiography that gives additional information concerning the morphology of the vascular wall. The authors examined the accuracy of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) in the evaluation of calcified lesions within the abdominal aorta and the iliac artery.


METHODS
Forty-nine human specimens (iliac artery, 26; abdominal aorta, 23) were examined using a 20-MHz 6.0-F ultrasound catheter, followed by magnification radiography of the same specimens using a newly developed microfocus x-ray tube. Magnification radiographs and ultrasound images were divided into identical sectors to analyze the morphology of calcified arteriosclerotic lesions.


RESULTS
A total of 644 sectors was analyzed. Sensitivity of intravascular sonography was 70%, specificity 53%. Sensitivity strongly depended on the morphology of the calcified lesions.


CONCLUSIONS
The detection of calcified arteriosclerotic lesions by means of IVUS revealed a sensitivity of 70% in an in vitro study using human specimens. However, the specificity of IVUS was only 53%, which is basically a random chance occurrence.
Link
T M
TM
Department of Clinical Radiology, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität, Münster, Germany.
Kerber
S
S
Pöppelmann
M
M
Kleinen
T
T
Krings
W
W
Breithardt
G
G
Blasius
S
S
Peters
P E
PE
D001012:Aorta, Abdominal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007083:Iliac Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D011858:Radiographic Magnification / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional / Q000706:statistics & numerical data