Supported in part by research grants from Philips and Boston Scientific, the study was conducted and analyzed independently by Smith Center for Outcomes Research, gathering a wide spectrum of vascular expert opinion to ascertain the role of intravascular imaging in contemporary clinical practice.

Historical milestone
To achieve consensus, the broad, multi-disciplinary, global experts used a rigorous RAND/University of California, Los Angeles appropriateness method. The writing committee generated a systematic and comprehensive list of key clinical scenarios and the role of IVUS in decision-making pathways before voting by a separate committee of world experts in the field who were blind to each other’s responses. The initial results of their work were first shared at a special symposium during the 2021 Vascular Interventional Advances (VIVA) annual meeting. Subsequently, the Smith Center for Outcomes Research team has released a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) [2] summarizing and systematically appraising the number of observational cohort studies in the peripheral vascular space prior to the late-breaking RCT data from Australia further demonstrating benefits of IVUS-guidance in PVD patients. [3] Dr. Secemsky et al. also published a contemporary review in EuroIntervention [4] showing how IVUS imaging can standardize daily practice decisions through a data-driven approach. In the current JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions publication, the experts established clinical agreement to identify optimal use of IVUS and potential gaps to set a standard across medical subspecialties in order to drive positive outcomes for patients.

“Lack of clarity in the appropriate use of IVUS in peripheral vascular procedures has raised important questions in daily interventional practice,” said Sahil Parikh, MD, Director of Endovascular Services at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. “Establishing the appropriate use criteria recommendations is a historical milestone and foundational step towards improving the quality and safety of peripheral vascular procedures.”

Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)
Philips is the global leader in IVUS solutions, which are part of the company’s comprehensive portfolio of systems, smart devices, software, and services for peripheral vascular disease aimed at helping clinicians decide, guide, treat, and confirm the right therapy for each patient during their procedure. Phased array IVUS is an important imaging tool used during venous and arterial interventions. It provides the fast plug-and-play usability and high-fidelity image resolution needed for pre-procedural planning, intra-procedural guidance, and post-procedural optimization of therapy for patients. Using an array of miniaturized ultrasound transducers mounted on the tip of a catheter, it captures real-time images of vascular disease inside vessels, enabling physicians to standardize and improve procedure care for their patients. Additional workflow optimization is enabled by integrated suite offerings such as Philips’ Azurion 7 with IntraSight platform.

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