Arterial imaging with a new forward-viewing intravascular ultrasound catheter, I. Initial studies.
BACKGROUND
Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) of arteries is limited by the inability of current instruments to visualize beyond the catheter tip. We have developed a prototype 4-mm-diameter forward-viewing IVUS catheter (Cardiovascular Imaging Systems, Sunnyvale, Calif) that has the ability to provide B-mode cross-sectional ultrasound data for a distance of up to 2 cm distal to the catheter tip.


RESULTS
To study the utility of this device, a 20-MHz forward-viewing IVUS catheter was used to examine 13 arterial segments (5 human femoral arteries, 1 human carotid artery, 7 canine arteries) in vitro and 1 phantom. After imaging, all data were compared with histology (Histo). In all cases, the IVUS catheter provided forward-viewing images corresponding to the arterial geometry and demonstrated vascular landmarks and atherosclerotic lesions. There was a good correlation between Histo-determined luminal diameters (LD) and IVUS-determined diameters for a distance of 14 mm ahead of the catheter tip: IVUS LD = 1.0 Histo LD + 1.3 (r = .87).


CONCLUSIONS
These preliminary data suggest that a forward-viewing IVUS catheter is feasible, accurate, and useful for evaluation of arterial geometry distal to the catheter tip.
Evans
J L
JL
Feinberg Cardiovascular Research Institute, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, Ill.
Ng
K H
KH
Vonesh
M J
MJ
Kramer
B L
BL
Meyers
S N
SN
Mills
T A
TA
Kane
B J
BJ
Aldrich
W N
WN
Jang
Y T
YT
Yock
P G
PG
D000792:Angiography; D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001158:Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002404:Catheterization / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004285:Dogs; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*