Intravascular ultrasound study of angiographically mildly diseased coronary arteries

Objective To assess the value of intravascular ultrasound in identifying coronary artery narrowing in angiographically mildly diseased coronary arteries.Methods Sixty-two coronary artery segments with mildly stenoses found by coronary artery angiography (CAG) in 17 patients were measured by intravascular ultrasound (IVUS).We analyzed the characteristics of the plaques by IVUS.The stenostic morphology and the severity of mildly stenoses in two techniques were compared.Results Essentric stenosis in 24 arteries,concentric in 34 ones were found by CAG and 48 essentric plaques and 13 concentric were demonstrated in IVUS.The lumen morphology and plaque characteristics could not be found in CAG,but there could be revealed very well by IVUS.There were significant differences in the parameters of the area stenosis rate of injured vessels between CAG and IVUS.The values of IVUS were higher than those of CAG (46±21)% vs(14±22)%,(P0.05).Conclusions IVUS is able to accurately identify the lumen morphology and the plaque characteristics and the stenostic severity of angiographically mildly diseased coronary arteries.