ABSTRACT
Various optical coherence tomography (OCT) applications for optimal stent deployment, including vessel preparation, stent planning, and stent assessment, have been widely recognized following the introduction of frequency-domain OCT. Intravascular OCT is a modality for visualizing the vessel lumen during contrast injection, while angiography shows the vessel lumen as an x-ray shadow image created by contrast. This chapter discusses how to use OCT during PCI to accomplish optimal stenting. High-speed rotational atherectomy is useful for calcium modification that allows a balloon catheter to be fully dilated, making optimal stent expansion possible. There is a general agreement that gross stent underexpansion is associated with a higher subsequent risk of in-stent restenosis and/or thrombosis. OCT can be used to determine stent edge dissections. OCT is useful for evaluating tissue prolapse after stenting. High-speed rotational atherectomy is useful for calcium modification that allows a balloon catheter to be fully dilated, making optimal stent expansion possible.
