Technical report: A low cost technique for vessel sizing in angioplasty

Vessel measurement in angiography is important for balloon and stent sizing. The most accurate techniques involve calibrating the angiographic image with a catheter with radioopaque markers, but these are expensive. A new method of vessel sizing for angioplasty and stenting is described: the guidewire is moved within the vessel through a set distance, and this movement is shown by digital subtraction. Testing with phantoms shows this to be simple, accurate and reproducible.