Table 2.

Differences in IVUS and OCT in daily practice.

	IVUS vs. OCT	Comment
Assessment of non-calcified and non-LM coronary plaques before stent implantation	Equal	OCT may provide more information regarding plaque composition (for example lipid plaque and optimal stent edge placement).
Assessment of calcified and non-LM coronary plaques before stent implantation	OCT better	Calcification obstructs penetration of the ultrasound (casting acoustic shadow).
Assessment of LM coronary plaques before stent implantation	IVUS better	OCT may be used in non-ostial LM lesions provided proper blood removal.
Optimalization after stent implantation	OCT better	Images from OCT due to high resolution may be easier to interpret provided proper blood removal (not possible in LM ostial lesions).
Spontaneous coronary dissection	IVUS better or equal	OCT may provide easier interpretation of SCAD and is used in clinical practice; however, contrast flush may propagate SCAD.
Stent failure	OCT	Higher resolution and easier interpretation with OCT.
Neoatherosclerosis	OCT	Higher resolution and easier interpretation with OCT.
Imaging in setting of ACS	OCT	OCT may provide information regarding the mechanism of ACS including plaque rapture, erosion or calcified nodule.
CTO	IVUS	OCT requires contrast flush, which is not possible in CTO. Moreover, when using OCT, it is not possible to provide continuous visualization of one chosen coronary artery.
CKD stage 4	IVUS	OCT requires continuous contrast flush during pullback.

CKD, chronic kidney disease; CTO, chronic total occlusion; IVUS, intravascular ultrasound; LM, left main; OCT, optical coherence tomography; SCAD, spontaneous coronary artery dissection.