To help diagnose arterial and venous abnormalities and their causes, intravascular ultrasonic scanning systems (diagnostic IVUS) provide the clinician with flow profiles of vessels throughout the body.
Buyers of intravascular ultrasounds should consider the following issues: intravascular ultrasonic scanner functions and features, cost, ease-of-use, upgrading, image storage, and customer support.
The use of Doppler further extends vascular techniques by providing flow detection in vessels.
Spectral Doppler analysis packages can make calculations automatically.
A full-featured intravascular ultrasound system that is used in a radiology department, cardiology department, vascular lab, or a vascular surgeon's office is needed for a comprehensive vascular study.
Most comprehensive vascular studies are performed within the lab of the responsible facility, but the department's personnel also perform many routine studies at the patient's bedside, ICU, or emergency department.
Most vascular studies use linear array probes that operate at frequencies of 5-10 MHz.
The same ultrasound imaging technology described for cardiac and vascular ultrasound is used by intravascular ultrasound.
The intravascular ultrasound catheter that is introduced into an artery has a transducer mounted at its end.
These catheters, in addition to imaging, can measure the velocity of blood flow within an artery, which is useful for determining the severity of a blockage.
Catheters also show the underlying atherosclerotic plaque, which is useful for determining which of the many types of angioplasty procedures is best to treat the blockage under study.
The following are part of a typical configuration for an intravascular ultrasonic scanning systems (diagnostic IVUS): an intravascular ultrasonic scanner and software, several single- or multi-frequency transducers, color Doppler, M-mode, CFM, cardiac analysis software, a VCR, and a black-and-white or color printer.
Compatibility with DICOM 3.0 is an important factor. Networking ultrasonic scanning systems and computer workstations can make image storage and retrieval as well as ultrasound department management more efficient.
The following options may be added to some intravascular ultrasound systems: optional vascular, abdominal or intra-operative scanning capabilities, additional probe analysis packages, image archiving and obstetrics/gynecology devices.

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