Impact of vessel curvature on the accuracy of three-dimensional intravascular ultrasound: validation by phantoms and coronary segments.
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.
Stähr
Peter
P
Stanford University Medical School, CA 94305, USA.
Voigtländer
Thomas
T
Rupprecht
Hans-Jürgen
HJ
Aschenbrücker
Patrick
P
Mamtimin
Hayraet
H
Brennecke
Rüdiger
R
Otto
Mike
M
Fitzgerald
Peter J
PJ
Meyer
Jürgen
J
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