Emerging Role of Intravascular Ultrasound in the Assessment of Experimental Anti-Atherosclerotic Therapies

Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) imaging within the coronary arteries has emerged as the gold standard for the quantitation of the extent of atherosclerosis plaque. Studies that have utilized IVUS have enhanced our understanding of the in vivo natural history of atherogenesis. As IVUS can be performed within the same coronary artery at different time points it has become an attractive tool for the assessment of the effect of experimental anti-atherosclerotic strategies on plaque burden. This review will review the evolution of IVUS as an imaging modality and highlight its use to assess a number of interventions that are directed at both modification of existing risk factors and novel targets that are thought to play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of atheroma formation.