AMSTERDAM, the Netherlands — The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Congress 2023 has cast a spotlight on the evolving role of intravascular imaging (IVI) in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), revealing both the potential benefits and challenges associated with this advanced technology. Thus far, no definitive research has established the superiority of either technique. IVI is eagerly anticipated for its capability to enhance the precision of stent placement, reduce complications, and mitigate the risk of stent thrombosis. The medical community is abuzz with excitement, eagerly anticipating the transformative potential that IVI holds in the realm of interventional cardiology.

The spotlight of the conference was on the groundbreaking OCTIVUS Trial, which meticulously categorized patients undergoing PCI between 2018 and 2022 into two cohorts based on the intravascular imaging device employed: 1,003 patients underwent intravascular ultrasound (IVUS), while 1,005 patients were guided by optical coherence tomography (OCT). The study meticulously compared and analyzed major clinical events occurring within one year, including myocardial infarction, ischemia requiring reintervention, or cardiac death. Remarkably, the results unveiled no statistically significant disparities in the incidence of major clinical events between the two groups, registering rates of 3.1% in the IVUS group and 2.5% in the OCT group. Similarly, intervention-related complications exhibited no substantial differences, standing at 3.7% and 2.2% respectively.

Dr. Do-Yoon Kang, the First Author of the trial, remarked, 'Among the two commonly used adjunct imaging devices in stent procedures, intravascular ultrasound (IVUS), which was developed first, has been considered the standard. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) had only been proven safe through small-scale studies.' Kang continued, 'Through this large-scale study, it was demonstrated that there was no significant difference in the safety profiles between the devices, with a major adverse clinical event rate of less than 3% annually.

Duk-Woo Park, MD, PhD (Asan Medical Center) is presenting during a Hot Line Session at ESC Congress 2023, held in Amsterdam, Netherlands

It is widely acknowledged that the utilization of IVI significantly enhances clinical outcomes, particularly in complex PCI cases.

Emphasized Dr. Duk-Woo Park, who presented the study's findings on Sunday, the 27th, during the 'Hotline' session, the flagship event of the European Society of Cardiology Annual Congress 2023, the preeminent cardiology conference held in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Furthermore, the study's outcomes were concurrently published in 'Circulation,' the official journal of the American Heart Association, reinforcing the trial's significance and reach within the global cardiology community.

https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.123.066429