Examination of Coronary Arteries Using New OCT Methodology

11.01.2010

A new diagnostic method for examining coronary arteries called "optical coherence tomography" was used for the first time at the department of invasive and interventional cardiology of the First Cardio-Angiological Clinic of St. Anne’s University Hospital on January 11^th, 2011.

The methodology is based on optical signal acquisition and processing. It captures micrometer-resolution, three-dimensional images from within optical scattering media (e.g., biological tissue) when near-infrared light is brought to a coronary artery by a catheter. OCT examination allows high-precision diagnoses of unstable coronary plaques, dissections of coronary arteries, and the detection of the presence of thromboses. This method importantly enables the recognition of coronary stent implants insufficiently covered by coronary epithelium. The instrument for the OCT examination was acquired by St. Anne’s Hospital as a part of its preparations for the participation of specialists from a team of interventional cardiologists involved in international research projects that aim at developing new technologies for highly targeted, highly effective, and minimally invasive diagnoses and treatments of cardiovascular diseases. Today’s OCT examination was made possible by the FNUSA-ICRC (International Clinical Research Center) project.