Optical Coherence Tomography-Guided Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: Practical Application

Abstract

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) provides high-resolution imaging of coronary arteries and can be used to optimize percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Intracoronary OCT, however, has had limited adoption in clinical practice. Novelty and relative complexity of OCT interpretation compared with the more established intravascular ultrasound, lack of a standardized algorithm for PCI guidance, paucity of data from randomized trials, and lack of rebate for intravascular imaging have contributed to the modest practical adoption of OCT. We provide a practical step-by-step guide on how to use OCT in PCI, including device set-up, simplified image interpretation, and an algorithmic approach for PCI. optimization.

Keywords: Coronary atherosclerosis; Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS); Optical coherence tomography (OCT); Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).