title: Impact of vessel curvature on the accuracy of three-dimensional intravascular ultrasound: validation by phantoms and coronary segments.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Three-dimensional intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) is used for volumetric assessment of arteriosclerotic plaque burden and restenotic tissue at follow-up after coronary interventions. However, the accuracy of these measurements, especially in tortuous vessels, is unclear.
  
  
  METHODS
  A commercially available electrocardiogram (ECG)-gated 3-dimensional-IVUS system was tested in volume-validated straight and curved hydrocolloid phantoms and in volume-validated coronary specimens. Catheter withdrawal (30 MHz, 3.2F) was triggered using standardized ECG source with 0.2-mm step intervals per cardiac cycle simulation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On the basis of automated phantom volume measurements, IVUS overestimated true phantom volume (relative error = [measured V - true V]/true V x 100) by a median of 0.9%, 0.25%, and 1.96% for straight, mildly curved, and severely curved segments, respectively. The true volume of the coronary specimens was overestimated by a median of 5.79%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A median percentage deviation of 3-dimensional-IVUS-measured volumes from the true volumes of less than 10% in phantoms and coronary artery segments can be achieved.
authors.affiliation: Stanford University Medical School, CA 94305, USA.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stähr
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Voigtländer
authors.forename: Hans-Jürgen
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Rupprecht
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Aschenbrücker
authors.forename: Hayraet
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mamtimin
authors.forename: Rüdiger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Brennecke
authors.forename: Mike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Otto
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Fitzgerald
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Meyer
mesh_terms: D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D004562:Electrocardiography; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional