冠狀動脈疾病位居台灣地區十大死因之第三位。經皮冠狀動脈介入性治療合併血管支架置放爲主要的治療方式，但是支架內再發狹窄經常困擾著心臟科醫師和病患。血管內超音波讓從事介入性治療的心臟科醫師可以取得冠狀動脈內部的影像，進而得知真實的血管直徑、斑塊的體積、形態和相關的解剖位置。新一代的血管內超音波採用彩色組織地圖技術（虛擬組織學）藉由不同顏色區分不同的斑塊型態；纖維化斑塊、纖維和脂肪混雜的斑塊、壞死核心和緻密鈣化斑塊。這些有用的診斷訊息可以完全避免血管支架伸展不足和支架異位，這樣即可避免支架內再發狹窄之發生降到最低程度。

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the third leading cause of death in Taiwan. Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) combining stent implantation is the main method of treatment, but in-stent restenosis (ISR) often limits the long-term success of percutaneous coronary intervention. Intra vessel ultrasound sonography (IVUS) is a catheter based system that allows physicians to acquire images from inside the coronary artery. The images provide detailed and accurate measurement of lumen and vessel size, plaque area and volume, and the location of anatomical landmarks. The new generation of IVUS~Volcano, uses a colorized tissue map (virtual histology technique) that helps to differentiate the four plaque types: fibrous, fibro-fatty, necrotic core, and dense calcium. The provision of this information eliminates the possibility of stent under-expansion and malposition, and ISR is minimized.