Intravascular ultrasound image interpretation

In this study, statistical and fractal texture analysis was used to assess the ability of 30 MHz intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) data, in raw and scan-converted form, to characterise atherosclerotic plaque. Data from 3 different plaque groups was assessed in the study: 1) loose fibrotic tissue; 2) dense fibrotic tissue; and 3) calcium. The composition of each group was verified from histo-pathological analysis, providing a Gold Standard from which results were verified. Scan-converted images were used to locate 33 regions of interest (ROI) within areas of known tissue composition. Fractal and statistical textural features were computed on ROI data in raw and scan-converted form. The results show the ability of the method to discriminate between groups, in particular they highlight the advantage of using the raw data over the scan-converted data to assess coronary artery disease