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(Circulation. 2004;110:e293-e294.)
© 2004 American Heart Association, Inc.

Images in Cardiovascular Medicine

Multiple Radial Artery Plaques

Takatoshi Wakeyama, MD; Hiroshi Ogawa, MD; Takahiro Iwami, MD; Kyonori Yasumoto, MD; Masunori Matsuzaki, MD, PhD

From the Division of Cardiology, Tokuyama Central Hospital, Shunan, Yamaguchi, Japan (T.W., H.O., T.I.), and the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medical Bioregulation, Yamaguchi University School of Medicine, Ube, Yamaguchi, Japan (K.Y., M.M.).

Correspondence to Takatoshi Wakeyama, MD, The Division of Cardiology, Tokuyama Central Hospital, 1–1 Kodachou, Shunan, Yamaguchi, Japan 745-8522. E-mail wakeyama@hotmail.com

An extract of the first 100% of the full text is provided, because this article has no abstract.

A 73-year-old man with recurrent chest pain was referred to our institution and admitted with a diagnosis of unstable angina. He had a history of angina for 2 months, and his risk factors for coronary artery disease included hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and diabetes. Coronary angiography taken via the left radial artery revealed 3-vessel disease, 90% stenosis of the proximal left ascending artery, 75% stenosis of the proximal right coronary artery, and 100% occlusion of the left circumflex artery. The left anterior descending artery was thought to be the culprit lesion and was successfully revascularized by primary implantation of a 3.5x18 mm stent. After the coronary procedure, an intravascular ultrasound study of the left radial artery showed multiple radial artery plaques (Figure).

View larger version (122K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Two-dimensional intravascular ultrasound and longitudinal intravascular ultrasound images of radial artery. Intravascular ultrasound examination was performed with 40-MHz, 3.5Fr (CIVIS, Boston Scientific) and withdrawn at 1.0 mm/s within the stationary imaging sheath, using a motorized pullback device.

Thus far, our group has performed intravascular ultrasound studies of the radial arteries in about 300 cases. Rarely have we found prominent and multiple radial artery plaques. If this patient is to be considered for coronary bypass surgery, the radial artery should not be used for the bypass graft.