title: Doppler colour flow imaging and flow quantification with a novel forward-viewing intravascular ultrasound system.
abstract: The aim of this work was to investigate the potential of a novel forward-viewing intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) system for flow quantification and colour flow imaging combined with B-mode imaging. A stiff 3.8-mm diameter catheter was used to scan a 72 degrees sector ahead of its tip. Operating at 30 MHz, the catheter was integrated with an IVUS scanner and a radiofrequency (RF) data-acquisition system. RF data were software processed for producing B-mode images and deriving velocity estimates. Steady flow in the range of 45 to 146 mL/min toward the catheter, was used in wall-less tissue-mimicking phantoms simulating healthy lumen (8-mm diameter), 30% diameter symmetrical stenosis and 37% diameter eccentric stenosis. The system provided colour flow images and good estimation of peak velocity and volumetric flows (within 1% to 9% and 16% to 48%, respectively, of calculated values) at 5 to 7 mm distal to the catheter. A sector forward-viewing IVUS imaging/Doppler system is suitable for combined anatomical and functional assessment of stenosed vessels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Physics and Medical Engineering, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
authors.forename: Loukianos
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gatzoulis
authors.forename: Kumar V
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Ramnarine
authors.forename: Stephen D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Pye
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: David E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Newby
authors.forename: Peter R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Hoskins
authors.forename: W Norman
authors.initials: WN
authors.lastname: McDicken
mesh_terms: D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D001810:Blood Volume; D006801:Humans; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*