New Developments in Hybrid Optical Coherence Tomographic Imaging: Current Status and Potential Implications in Clinical Practice and Research

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a relatively new imaging technique that was introduced to overcome limitations of previous imaging modalities. OCT provides high resolution cross-sectional images of the coronaries which permit detailed evaluation of the luminal morphology and assessment of coronary artery pathology. These unique qualities render OCT a useful tool in clinical practice and research arena. However, apart from its significant advantages OCT imaging has also considerable limitations. To overcome the pitfalls of OCT, fusion of this modality with other imaging techniques has been proposed. Today several hybrid catheter and sophisticated data fusion methodologies have been developed for this purpose, which appear to provide a complete and comprehensive assessment of plaque characteristics and vessel pathophysiology. The aim of this review article is to describe the available OCT based hybrid imaging modalities, present the advantages and limitations of these approaches and discuss their potential value in clinical practice and research arena.