Comparison of angiography and intravascular ultrasound before and after balloon angioplasty of the femoropopliteal artery

Purpose: To compare angiographic and intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) data before and after balloon angioplasty (PTA) of the femoropopliteal artery.Methods: Qualitative and quantitative analyses were performed on corresponding angiographic and IVUS levels obtained from 135 patients.Results: IVUS detected more lesions, calcified lesions, and vascular damage than angiography. Sensitivity of angiography was good for the presence of a lesion (84%), moderate for eccentric lesions (53%) and for vascular damage (52%), and poor for calcified lesions (30%). The increase in angiographic diameter stenosis was associated with a decrease in lumen area and increase in percentage area stenosis on IVUS.Conclusions: Angiography is less sensitive than IVUS for detecting lesion eccentricity, calcified lesions, and vascular damage. Presence of a lesion and amount of plaque were underestimated angiographically. Only before PTA was good agreement found between angiographic diameter stenosis and lumen size on IVUS.