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Three-Dimensional Fourier-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography Imaging: Advantages and Future Development

  • Intravascular Imaging (U Landmesser, Section Editor)
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Abstract

Traditionally, intravascular imaging methods display the coronary anatomy in two dimensions, through a series of consecutive cross-sectional tomographic images. The physician is then required to mentally reassemble these images in order to visualize the vascular anatomy and all its complex interactions. The ability to depict the vascular structure with its actual spatial appearance, in three dimensions, is a powerful way to provide an easy, objective, and comprehensive overview of its complex and dynamic anatomy. However, three-dimensional (3D) application of intravascular imaging has been plagued by lack of enough resolution, frequent presence of imaging and motion artifacts and need for extensive image post-processing. Fourier-Domain OCT (FD-OCT) allows high-resolution (10–15 μm) visualization of the intracoronary environment with faster pullback speeds and image acquisition rates in comparison to IVUS and the previous generation time-domain OCT. These features have recently attracted attention to the potential of FD-OCT in generating high-quality 3D images of intravascular anatomies, with lesser artifacts. The present manuscript discusses the current status and some potential clinical applications of 3D FD-OCT imaging. Some technical aspects, limitations, and future perspectives are also briefly discussed.

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Acknowledgments

Some of the projects described in this manuscript were supported by National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute through NIH R21HL108263 and by the National Center for Research Resources and the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, through grant UL1RR024989. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH.

Disclosure

D. Chamié: none; D. Prabhu: none; Z. Wang: none; H. Bezerra: LightLab/St. Jude Medical (consulting fee/honorarium)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Cardiology, Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Case Western Reserve School of Medicine, 11,100 Euclid Avenue, Lakeside 3001, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA

    Daniel Chamié, Hiram Bezerra & Marco A. Costa

  2. Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA

    David Prabhu, Zhao Wang, David L. Wilson & Andrew M. Rollins

  3. Latvian Center of Cardiology, Paul Stradins Clinical Hospital, Riga, Latvia

    Andrejs Erglis

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  1. Daniel Chamié
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  3. Zhao Wang
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Correspondence to Marco A. Costa.

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Chamié, D., Prabhu, D., Wang, Z. et al. Three-Dimensional Fourier-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography Imaging: Advantages and Future Development. Curr Cardiovasc Imaging Rep 5, 221–230 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12410-012-9145-5

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