Intravascular OCT Displaces Standalone Ultrasound Guidance
Intravascular optical coherence tomography provides substantially higher resolution than intravascular ultrasound, letting interventionalists characterize plaque composition and fibrous cap thickness in ways standalone ultrasound cannot resolve. Early comparative data shows meaningfully lower target lesion revascularization rates when interventions are guided by OCT rather than angiography alone for complex coronary lesions. Three of the five leading manufacturers now offer OCT-capable platforms as their flagship interventional imaging offering, and two smaller competitors have announced comparable systems entering trials in 2026 targeting expanded peripheral applications. Procurement teams increasingly treat OCT capability as baseline, not an upsell, for complex lesion cases.
Market Impact: Adds 210,000 annual imaging procedu








