Objectives This study sought to assess stent-vessel interactions after drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation in unprotected left main coronary artery (ULM) by frequency-domain optical coherence tomography (FD-OCT). Background Percutaneous coronary intervention using DES in ULM has been increasingly performed in routine practice. Recently, FD-OCT assessments of DES-vessel interactions have been used as surrogates for DES safety; however, there are no FD-OCT studies in ULM. Methods We prospectively enrolled 33 consecutive patients with ULM disease treated with sirolimus- (n = 11) and everolimus-eluting stents (n = 22). FD-OCT assessments were performed post-percutaneous coronary intervention and at 9-month follow-up. Three different segments of ULM were ...

Currently in use by interventional cardiology for the intravascular evaluation of coronary arteries, optical coherence tomography (OCT) has proven to be effective in the evaluation of atherosclerotic disease and further therapeutic management. We report a novel use of OCT technology in the case of a 46-year-old man with sudden onset blurred vision and greater than 70% stenosis of his left vertebral artery. To date, no detailed descriptions or case reports have previously been reported regarding the use of neuroendovascular OCT in diseased arteries.

Objectives This first-in-human multicenter study sought to examine prospectively the safety and efficacy of a new, cobalt chromium thin-strut, coronary absorbable polymer–coated, sirolimus-eluting stent. Background Bioabsorbable polymers on drug-eluting stents may lower the long-term risks of inflammation, delayed healing, and adverse events. Methods We enrolled patients with symptomatic coronary artery disease with stable or unstable angina pectoris and >50% diameter stenosis, amenable to coverage with a ≤23-mm long stent in a vessel 2.5 to 3.5 mm in diameter. All patients received dual antiplatelet therapy after implantation. Patients, in groups of 10, underwent repeat angiography, intravascular ultrasound, and ...

Objectives This study sought to investigate the frequency, predictors, and detailed qualitative and quantitative assessment of optical coherence tomography (OCT)-detected stent edge dissections. Its impact on subsequent management and clinical outcomes were also investigated. Background OCT is a high-resolution imaging modality that can lead to more frequent recognition and accurate assessment of vascular injuries during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Methods From September 2010 to June 2011, all patients with OCT post-PCI were enrolled. Edge dissections were defined as disruptions of the arterial lumen surface in both the 5-mm distal and proximal stent edges. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of all ...

Background: Coronary artery calcification (CAC) presents unique challenges for percutaneous coronary intervention. Calcium appears as a signal-poor region with well-defined borders by frequency-domain optical coherence tomography (FD-OCT). The objective of this study was to demonstrate the accuracy of intravascular FD-OCT to determine the distribution of CAC. Methods and Results: Cadaveric coronary arteries were imaged using FD-OCT at 100-μm frame interval. Arteries were subsequently frozen, sectioned and imaged at 20-μm intervals using the Case Cryo-Imaging automated system TM . Full volumetric co-registration between FD-OCT and cryo-imaging was performed. Calcium area, calcium-lumen distance (depth) and calcium angle were traced on every ...

BACKGROUND Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a novel intravascular imaging modality with excellent spatial resolution. This study explored the utility of OCT in cardiac transplantation for the detection and characterization of early changes associated with coronary allograft vasculopathy (CAV). METHODS Fifteen consecutive patients, 1 to 4 years after transplant with no angiographic evidence of CAV, underwent successful OCT imaging using the Fourier-domain OCT system (C7-XR, St. Jude Medical, St. Paul, MN) in the left anterior descending artery. Analysis included measurements of the lumen, intima, and media layers, and characterization of atherosclerotic plaques. Patients were stratified by intima-to-media (I/M) ratio ...