Background: Intravascular ultrasound(IVUS) has several advantages compared to angiography when evaluating coronary atherosclerosis in the vessel wall. Methods : The accuracy, reproducibility, and short-time spontaneous variation in volume of vessel, plaque and lumen were studied by electrocardio-graphic-gated three -dimensional(3D) IVUS in 20 male patients with ischaemic heart disease(IHD). Re sults: The study lesions were angiographically insignificant, with a length of t he analysed segment on 11.4±5.9 mm. At baseline the mean minimal lumen diameter was 2.41±0.59 mm, minimal lumen area 4.82±2.38 mm2, and maximal plaque burden 65.61±9.57%. Mean reference diameter was 3.1±0.6 mm. No significant changes were observed in volumes of total vessel, lumen or plaque. The coefficient of va riation(CV) for two volume measurements at baseline was: vessel 0.8%, plaque 1. 3%, and lumen 1.4%. For measurements recorded at baseline and after 12.6±1.5 weeks, CV was respectively 3.5%, 3.3%and 6.6%. Reproducibility and interobser ver and intraobserver variation showed very high correlations. A linear correlat ion was present in percent changes over 12.6±1.5 weeks between vessel volume an d lumen volume(r=0.804; p< 0.001) and between percent changes in plaque volume a nd vessel volume(r=0.581; p=0.007). No correlation was found between changes in plaque volume and lumen volume (r=0.015; p=0.950). Conclusion: ECG-gated 3D IVU S is a highly reproducible method when applied on coronary artery atherosclerosi s. CV for lumen volume over 12.6±1.5 weeks is twice that of plaque volume indic ating the superiority of the 3D IVUS compared to coronary angiography (CAG).
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