Plaque rupture is correlated with the plaque morphology, composition, mechanical properties, and with the blood pressure. Whereas the geometry can accurately be assessed with intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) imaging, intravascular elastography (IVE) is capable of extracting information on the plaque local mechanical properties and composition. This paper reports additional IVE validation data regarding reproducibility and potential to characterize atherosclerotic plaques and mural thrombi. In a first investigation, radio frequency (RF) data were acquired from the abdominal aorta of an atherosclerotic rabbit model. In a second investigation, IVUS RF data were recorded from the left coronary artery of a patient referred for angioplasty. In both cases, Galaxy IVUS scanners (Boston Scientific, Freemont, CA), equipped with 40 MHz Atlantis catheters, were used. Elastograms were computed using two methods, the Lagrangian speckle model estimator (LSME) and the scaling factor estimator (SFE). Corroborated with histology, the LSME and the SFE both clearly detected a soft thrombus attached to the vascular wall. Moreover, shear elastograms, only available with the LSME, confirmed the presence of the thrombus. Additionally, IVE was found reproducible with consistent elastograms between cardiac cycles (CCs). Regarding the human dataset, only the LSME was capable of identifying a plaque that presumably sheltered a lipid core. Whereas such an assumption could not be certified with histology, radial shear and tangential strain LSME elastograms enabled the same conclusion. It is worth emphasizing that this paper reports the first ever in vivo tangential strain elastogram with regards to vascular imaging, due to the LSME. It is concluded that the IVE was reproducible exhibiting consistent strain patterns between CCs. The IVE might provide a unique tool to assess coronary wall lesions.

One of the possible complications of subclavian vein puncture is accidental puncture of the subclavian artery. If this is not noted immediately after the puncture, insertion of a large bore sheath in the subclavian artery is likely to follow. We describe our experience with a new method that enables successful and safe removal of such sheaths without notable blood loss, in three patients.

The effective flow rates with human blood through an autoperfusion catheter cannot be monitored in vivo and have not been experimentally determined in vitro. The manufacturers (Advanced Cardiovascular Systems [ACS], Temecula, CA) have suggested that "the flow rate" through the Stack over the wire and the RX-60 monorail catheter is 60 ml/min with a pressure gradient of 80 mmHg. We measured human blood flow rates in vitro through these catheters under different continuous pressure regimens (between 40 and 120 mmHg), with varying hematocrit levels (between 25% and 62%). Measured blood flows at a gradient of 80 mmHg were found to vary from 32 to 65 cc/min, with hematocrit levels of 62-25%. Minor variations in the circuitry, besides the viscosity of the medium, cause significant changes in observed flow rates (such as kinking of the catheter and blood sedimentation). In vitro determinations of blood flows cannot automatically be transferred to the in vivo condition, primarily because in vitro determinations do not account for the systolic intramural pressure increase (which may overcome the aortic pressure). If such a phenomenon is also considered, then the in vitro flow rates reported here should be multiplied by a factor of 0.40-0.60 to determine effective in vivo flow rates. Such information is relevant for the clinical operator of angioplasty, especially in the treatment of patients at high risk for undergoing percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty.