Reproducibility of calcified lesion quantification: a longitudinal intravascular ultrasound study

Abstract

In view of a prospective intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) study, the reproducibility of the extent of the calcified lesion in IVUS images derived from separate pull-back maneuvers was assessed. Patients ( n = 34) were imaged with IVUS before and after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) and at 1-y follow-up. In the presence of a calcified lesion, the largest arc and the length of the matched calcified lesions was assessed. Interobserver differences in arc measurements were low (≤ 0.7%), with low coefficients of variation (≤ 5.8%). Similarly, interexamination differences in arc and length measurements were small (≤ 1.1%), with low coefficients of variation (≤ 3.2%). At follow-up, a nonsignificant increase in both the arc (1.9%) and length (1.7%) of the calcified lesion was observed. This study showed that measurements of the calcified lesion are highly reproducible; changes seen at 1-y follow-up were not significant. We conclude that IVUS may be used to monitor the effect of medical intervention on the extent of the calcified lesion in a longitudinal study.