Information from IVUS is additive to that obtained from angiography. Because of the lattice characteristics of stents, radiographic contrast material can surround the stent, producing an angiographic appearance of a large lumen even when the stent struts are not in full contact with the vessel wall.
Several studies document the importance of full apposition of the stent struts to the vessel wall.
In the era of higher stent deployment pressures with aspirin and ticlopidine therapy, the added value of IVUS is uncertain.