Advantages of intravascular ultrasound--preliminary experience in patients with peripheral and renal vascular disease

Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) is a new method in which endovascular images are obtained from a catheter inserted into an artery. We uses IVUS during PTA of iliac and renal artery, and examined its effectiveness. Three layers are well defined in normal arterial wall. Calcified deposits are recognized as a combination of strong echo and acoustic shadow. The absolute cross sectional area of patent lumen and atherosclerotic plaque can be calculated. IVUS is very effective for the assessment of PTA. The increased caliber of arteries following PTA is caused by the over stretching of the media rather than the compression of atheroma.