Which are common indications for intravascular imaging during PCI?

Which are common indications for intravascular imaging during PCI?

• A. Guiding decisions to abort the procedure due to poor imaging.
• B. Using intravascular imaging only when there is a clearly visible lesion.
• C. Lesion morphology assessment, accurate sizing, detecting underexpansion, optimizing stent apposition, and guiding complex interventions.
• D. Replacing angiography entirely with intravascular imaging.

Answer: (C)

Intravascular imaging during PCI is used to obtain detailed, cross-sectional views of the vessel and stent, which helps tailor and optimize the intervention. The most important indications include assessing lesion morphology to understand plaque characteristics and calcification, sizing the vessel accurately so the chosen stent matches the true diameter and length, detecting underexpansion or malapposition of a deployed stent, and guiding complex interventions where anatomy is challenging (such as calcified or bifurcation lesions). This imaging provides information that angiography alone cannot, leading to better stent expansion, apposition, and overall procedural success. It isn’t limited to cases where a lesion is clearly visible, and it does not replace angiography entirely but complements it. It also isn’t primarily used to decide to abort the procedure due to imaging quality.

Intravascular imaging during PCI is used to obtain detailed, cross-sectional views of the vessel and stent, which helps tailor and optimize the intervention. The most important indications include assessing lesion morphology to understand plaque characteristics and calcification, sizing the vessel accurately so the chosen stent matches the true diameter and length, detecting underexpansion or malapposition of a deployed stent, and guiding complex interventions where anatomy is challenging (such as calcified or bifurcation lesions). This imaging provides information that angiography alone cannot, leading to better stent expansion, apposition, and overall procedural success.

It isn’t limited to cases where a lesion is clearly visible, and it does not replace angiography entirely but complements it. It also isn’t primarily used to decide to abort the procedure due to imaging quality.