Abstract: A method for suppressing motion artifacts due to cyclic cardiac motion existing in
continuous pullback coronary artery intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) image sequence acquired in
vivo is proposed. Firstly, rigid motion parameters of cross-sectional vessel wall in tomographic
image sequence are quantitatively estimated based on comprehensive analysis of both mechanism
and expressions of motion artifacts. Then, dynamic and geometrical components of rigid motion
parameters are separated with spectrum analysis technique. Finally, geometrical components of
vessel wall motion in successive tomographic frames are quantitatively compensated to implement
suppression of motion artifacts. Neither special ECG-gating acquisition device nor ECG signals
are required. It is not required to discard useful frames to guarantee the integrity of the image data
set. The validity has been demonstrated with computer-simulated and clinically acquired image
data.

Key words: coronary artery, intravascular ultrasound (IVUS), motion artifact, cardiac
motion, suppression