The axial distribution of lesion-site atherosclerotic plaque components: an in vivo volumetric intravascular ultrasound radio-frequency analysis of lumen stenosis, necrotic core and vessel remodeling.

Radio-frequency intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) analysis characterizes atherosclerotic plaques into necrotic core (NC), dense calcium (DC), fibrofatty (FF) and fibrotic (FI) tissue. We studied axial plaque component distribution with respect to stenosis and remodeling. Preintervention virtual histology (VH) IVUS was performed in 81 pts (90 de novo lesions: 43 left anterior descending artery [LAD] and 47 right coronary artery [RCA]).

In vivo virtual histology intravascular ultrasound correlates of risk factors for sudden coronary death in men: results from the prospective, multi-centre virtual histology intravascular ultrasound registry.

Aims: We hypothesized a relationship between virtual histology intravascular ultrasound (VH-IVUS) findings and risk factors histopathologically associated with sudden coronary death (SCD) in men: cigarette smoking and an increased total cholesterol-to-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) ratio (TC/HDL > 5).

Methods And Results: We assessed volumetric VH-IVUS parameters in a consecutive series of 473 male patients: fibrous, fibro-fatty, dense calcium (DC), necrotic core (NC), and a calculated NC/DC ratio. Patients' age was 61 ± 11 years, with 27% smokers and 69% having a lipid disorder.

Necrotic core and its ratio to dense calcium are predictors of high-risk non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome.

Increased creatine kinase-MB levels and ST-segment depression are well-known prognostic factors in the setting of non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome (ACS). We hypothesized a relationship between virtual histology intravascular ultrasound (VH-IVUS) findings and these prognostic factors. We performed "whole vessel" VH-IVUS analysis in culprit arteries of 225 patients with ACS and measured the 4 basic VH-IVUS coronary plaque components--fibrous, fibrofatty, dense calcium (DC), and necrotic core (NC)--and calculated a NC/DC ratio.

Treatment of restenotic drug-eluting stents: an intravascular ultrasound analysis.

Background: The intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) findings during repeat intervention for drug-eluting stent (DES) restenosis have not been well described.

Methods: We identified 62 consecutive DES restenosis lesions (45 sirolimus-eluting stents and 17 paclitaxel-eluting stents) undergoing repeat intervention with pre and postintervention IVUS. Lumen, stent and intimal hyperplasia (stent minus lumen) areas were measured at the minimal lumen area (MLA) site and minimal stent area (MSA) site.

Assessing intermediate left main coronary lesions using intravascular ultrasound.

Background: Angiographic assessment of a left main coronary artery stenosis (LMCS) is often difficult and unreliable. We aimed to evaluate the severity of ambiguous LMCSs by intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and to clarify how frequently significant stenosis occurs in the "real world".

Methods: We retrospectively found 115 consecutive patients in our clinical IVUS database with a de novo, angiographically ambiguous, intermediate LMCS who underwent IVUS evaluation.