Intravascular Ultrasound

What is Intravascular Ultrasound?

Intravascular ultrasound is an imaging procedure doctors use to see a blood vessel or the heart itself from the inside. During this procedure, doctors use a specially designed catheter that has a tiny probe that emits sound waves.

They insert this probe into the artery, and the sound waves create an image that allows the physician to see the inner walls of the blood vessel and the blood-flow.

If there's a blockage, the physician can see the debris or plaque that constricts blood-flow.

How Does Intravascular Ultrasound Help?

Intravascular ultrasound helps doctors determine the volume of plaque and how narrowed the blood vessel has become. Understanding the blockage by actually seeing it guides treatment decisions.

Your doctors may use intravascular ultrasound to assess the effectiveness of angioplasty and stent placement.