IVUS puts the probe inside the vessel. The imaging happens at the catheter tip, 20-40 MHz, cross-sectional, with the target tissue a few millimeters away rather than several centimeters through body wall. That proximity is why IVUS characterizes plaque morphology, lumen dimensions, stent apposition, and vessel wall structure in ways that angiography alone cannot. For an interventional cardiology program or peripheral vascular team making treatment decisions on complex coronary or peripheral disease, the IVUS console and catheter supply are mission-critical equipment, not optional additions to the cath lab.
The console itself (the processor and display unit) is a capital purchase somewhere in the $80k–$200k band depending on manufacturer and capability. The catheters are single-use disposables and are a recurring supply cost, not a capital financing item. We finance the console, the associated hardware, and if the vendor bundles startup catheter inventory in the initial purchase, we can include that in the transaction as well. The single-use catheter replenishment runs on your practice's supply purchasing channel, not through equipment financing.