Untersuchungen zur Überprüfung der Meßgenauigkeit des intravasalen Ultraschalls (IVUS)

AIM: Intravascular ultrasound investigations are new tomographic imaging methods for evaluation of artery dimensions and wall morphology. The present study was performed to test accuracy and observer variability. METHOD: 3 plastic phantoms and 1 iliacan artery were assessed. The quantitative measurements were made by computerised 3D reconstruction. RESULTS: The plastic phantoms showed ultrasonically three layers of echogenic structures. An intimal fibrous thickening was seen in the iliac artery. The cross sectional diameters were ultrasonically overestimated by 12.6 +/- 5.6%. Due to the lower velocity of sound in water than in blood there were no significant differences to the true diameters. The intra- and interobserved variabilities were determined to 1.4 +/- 0.8% and 2.6 +/- 1.2%. CONCLUSIONS: Intravascular ultrasound provides a reproducible method for measuring vessel lumen diameters with excellent intraobserver and interobserver variabilities. For in vitro examinations the different velocities of sound in different media have to be taken into account.