Intravascular Ultrasound (IVUS) technology is designed to provide physicians a 360-degree view inside the heart and coronary vessels to assist with diagnosis and to allow a more accurate representation of the diseased vessels than is possible with angiography alone. The iLab software upgrade includes functionality designed to improve diagnosis and save time. The principal new feature of the system, iMap, provides a detailed color analysis of plaque composition within the targeted areas.
“The upgraded iLab software, featuring iMap tissue characterisation, offers detailed plaque information that may help physicians treat coronary artery disease,” said Patrick W Serruys, chief of interventional cardiology, Thoraxcenter-Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. “The combination of Boston Scientific’s 40MHz catheter and the new characterisation algorithm represents the latest generation of IVUS imaging technology.”
In addition to iMap, the iLab software includes features such as Modality Worklist Management, which allows a physician to access a patient’s profile from the hospital server and view it on the iLab System monitor. Additional features include an on-screen print icon and the ability to edit and save video images of a procedure directly to CD, DVD or hard drive. The iLab software is currently in a global limited market release with full commercial availability planned for later this year in all regions.
iMap software is not currently approved for sale in the US.
