ABSTRACT
The applied energies in intravascular OCT are relatively low (output power in the range of 5.0-8.0 mW) and are not considered to cause functional or structural damage to the tissue. Safety issues seem thus mainly dependent on OCT catheter design and the extent of ischemia caused by flow obstruction from the catheter itself and the displacement of blood. Representative safety data for intravascular OCT are not yet available, as there has been only preliminary clinical experience in a small number of patients. These data are difficult to interpret, as patients often underwent angioplasty before or after the OCT imaging procedure. The most appropriate benchmark might be found in two large intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) registries that reported transient coronary ischemia, caused by the imaging catheter in 67% and angina in 22% of patients 4,5.
