Images in cardiovascular medicine. Intracoronary imaging with optical coherence tomography: a new high-resolution technology providing striking visualization in the coronary artery.

Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT; LightLab) is a catheter-based technology producing images from backscattered “echoes” similar to intravascular ultrasound (IVUS), but using high-bandwidth light sources (infrared light). This new technology provides ultra-high resolution for endovascular visualization. In comparison to common IVUS imaging, OCT enables optimal plaque identification, detection of thin tissue structures (eg, re-endotheli- alization, dissections) and …