What is Intravascular Ultrasound (IVUS)?

Intravascular Ultrasound (IVUS) is a medical imaging technique used during catheter-based procedures to visualize the inside of blood vessels from within. A miniature ultrasound probe is mounted on the tip of a catheter and inserted into the vessel, usually during percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI).

IVUS provides real-time, cross-sectional images of the vessel walls, allowing physicians to assess plaque burden, vessel size, and lesion morphology. It is especially valuable for planning stent placement and optimizing stent deployment by giving a more accurate picture than traditional angiography alone.

Scoring balloons come in different designs — some with metal blades on the balloon surface, others with nylon scoring elements or Nitinol wires that wrap around the balloon for controlled lesion modification.

One of the key benefits is the lower risk of major vessel dissection, making it more likely that the procedure can be completed with a DCB (drug-coated balloon) rather than stent implantation.

In the past, crossing performance was a major concern, and these devices were used only in carefully selected cases.
However, today’s devices have significantly improved in deliverability, and they are now being used in a wider range of clinical situations.

Unlike standard balloons, scoring balloons have blades or scoring elements attached, so careful attention is needed when selecting the balloon diameter.