Intracoronary ultrasound is a rapidly evolving imaging modality and the
increasing number of published studies indicates that the technique is safe and
provides incremental and more detailed diagnostic information than coronary
angiography. The technique has the potential to study the pathobiology of
atherosclerosis, to clarify the significance of angiographically equivocal
lesions and has helped us to understand the mechanisms, effects and
complications of catheter-based revascularization procedures. Combinations of
imaging and therapeutic devices are being developed for both guidance and
assessment of the revascularization procedure. Three-dimensional reconstruction
of coronary segments is now possible in real time and provides the opertor with
more detailed information on coronary pathology. In this monograph, leading
experts in the field present the state of the art of all these new
developments.
