This information is approved and/or reviewed by U-M Health System providers but it is not a tool for self-diagnosis or a substitute for medical treatment. You should speak to your physician or make an appointment to be seen if you have questions or concerns about this information or your medical condition.
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UMHS Related Sites:
Cardiac Catheterization and Intervention Services
University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center
Intravascular Ultrasound
Intravascular ultrasound is a cardiac catheterization procedure occasionally used to diagnose coronary artery disease when the results of angiography are uncertain. During the procedure, a transducer (a tiny ultrasound camera mounted on a catheter) sends and receives sound waves. The catheter is threaded through a blood vessel up into the coronary arteries. The transducer rotates within the arteries to create a complete image of the thickness and amount of plaque buildup in the arterial walls. This imaging also helps the cardiologist to determine the size and selection of stents and balloons that could be used for therapeutic catheterization to unblock the artery.
