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Background: Conventional contrast cineangiography and intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) provide a limited definition of vessel microstructure and are unable to evaluate dissection, tissue prolapse, and stent apposition on a size scale less than 100 μm.

Objective: To evaluate the use of intravascular optical coherence tomography (OCT) to assess the coronary arteries in patients undergoing coronary stenting.

Methods: OCT was employed in patients having percutaneous coronary interventions. Images were obtained before initial balloon dilatation and following stent deployment, and were evaluated for vessel dissection, tissue prolapse, stent apposition, and stent asymmetry. IVUS images were obtained before OCT, using an automatic pull back device.

Results: 42 stents were imaged in 39 patients without complications. Dissection, prolapse, and incomplete stent apposition were observed more often …