The Importance Of Ultrasound In Cardiology

The role of interventional radiology has played a significant part in the diagnosis and treatment of patients. There have been many advances with instrumentation, and equipment, promoting excellent care to patients in the cardiac catheterization laboratory. Ultrasound has been an exceptional tool in assisting physicians with selection of coronary balloons, and stents for percutaneous coronary interventions. As a critical piece of data collection, ultrasound measurements have emerged as a frontrunner in evaluating vessel diameter and intra-lumen irregularities. This measurement and visualization has become paramount in the cardiac arena, when choosing proper sizing for stent selection. The influence of ultrasound in cardiology has shown

What constitutes the terminology? PCI is a medical terminology which defines managing the occlusion of a coronary artery by means of balloons, stent, atherectomy or laser to open and reestablish blood flow to the heart (Farlex). What is the difference between POBA verses stents? Plain Old Balloon Angioplasty(POBA) is one of the first acronyms used in cardiac cath-labs to describe intervention of an artery. During the early 70’s there were really no cardiac stents, biliary stents were cut and crimped onto coronary balloons and implanted directly into the intima of a vessel wall. Often- times these were used off label, and quite dangerous due to bulkiness and fear of losing the stent in patient. But in the mid 80’s, the advent and creation of coronary stents were marketed using smaller profile balloons, where the stents were mounted and heat sealed to ensure safe deployment. As stents began to grow in popularity, there were assorted designs from various vendors claiming to have the best in radial strength, strut thickness and side wall

What is IVUS? IVUS is an acronym for Intravascular Ultrasound, it is commonly used to measure blood vessels and correct proper selection of coronary stents during angioplasty. (NIH, 2018) This ultrasound wand is attached to a thin catheter, this catheter is inserted into an artery, imaging the lumen of the vessel. At first glance IVUS looks like a bad weather map, but it’s information is invaluable to the cardiologist, displaying luminal irregularities, intimal dissections and the formation of cholesterol build up and calcified plaque. The healthcare provider gets to look at your arteries from the inside out. It is like looking down the middle of a straw, all you see is a round circle. Looking at the intima of a blood vessel resembles walking on the surface of the moon. On the inner surface of a vessel there are craters of deposits, surrounded by peaks of calcium debris. The IVUS allow the clinician to visualize the lumen of the vessel, and properly choose the correct diameter of the circular structure. IVUS has helped clinicians see how stents become clogged with debris, or fatty deposits. These fatty deposits aid to the beginning of stent restenosis. One of the special features IVUS offers is color flow. Color flow allows the clinician to visualize venous and