INTRAVASCULAR ULTRASOUND - STATE-OF-THE-ART AND FUTURE-DIRECTIONS

A variety of new devices in the field of intravascular ultrasound imag ing are being designed and tested. Mechanical intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) devices with rotating transducers have been developed that all ow transducer pullback with integrated longitudinal 2-dimensional disp lays. Recent advances in the area of imaging include (1) solid-state s ystems that combine ultrasound with balloon and stent placement; (2) c ombined imaging atherectomy devices; (3) imaging cores or guidewires; (4) forward-looking devices; (5) 3-dimensional reconstruction techniqu es; (6) high-frequency imaging; and (7) improved methods for character izing tissue. Other promising approaches include magnetic resonance im aging, thermography, and optical coherence tomography. An important go al for long-term technologic improvement is visualization of lipid acc umulations and fibrous caps during their early stages of development. (C) 1998 by Excerpta Medica, Inc.