Title:Research and Clinical Applications of Optical Coherence Tomography in Invasive Cardiology: A Review
VOLUME: 10 ISSUE: 4
Author(s):Luigi Vignali, Emilia Solinas and Enzo Emanuele
Affiliation:Living Research s.a.s., Via Monte Grappa, 13, I-27038, Robbio (PV), Italy.
Keywords:Optical coherence tomography, intravascular imaging, coronary artery lesions.
Abstract:In cardiology, optical coherence tomography (OCT) is an invasive imaging technique based on the principle of
light coherence. This system was developed to obtain three-dimensional high resolution images to examine coronary artery
normal and/or pathological structure. This technique replaces the ultrasound used by its main alternative procedure,
intravascular ultrasound, by a near-infrared light source. Acute coronary syndromes due to atherosclerotic vascular disease
are the leading cause of mortality in developed and developing countries. As a consequence, intravascular imaging systems
became an important area of research and 1991 marks the first use of OCT in coronary artery observations. Since its
first appearance in invasive cardiology, OCT maintains a strong presence in the research environments for the identification
of vulnerable plaques, as it is able to overcome difficulties presented by other techniques such as virtual intravascular
ultrasound, near-infrared spectroscopy, and histology. Moreover, OCT is increasingly being used in the clinical practice as
a guide during coronary interventions and in the assessment of vascular response after coronary stent implantation. This
review focuses on the relevance of OCT in research and clinical applications in the field of invasive cardiology and
discusses the future directions of the field.
