The<unk>  of a coronary guidewire determines many of the performance characteristics of the device.  The<unk>  of a coronary guidewire is usually ground to a taper towards the end and this is where the tip attaches to the<unk> .  If<unk>  starts tapering more towards the tip, the coronary guidewire as a whole becomes more rigid, steerable and torquable.  The opposite happens when the<unk>  other coronary guidewire tapers more proximally allowing for a longer tip and a more flexible tip.  The<unk>  may be either continuous or joined.  If the<unk>  is joined then it is more likely to bend or prolapse when the guidewire is advanced.  Coronary<unk> s that are made of stainless steel are stiffer, provide greater support, and provide greater torque control.  In contrast, coronary<unk> s that are made of nitinol are much more flexible.
Guidewire core
Guidewire tip
Guidewire prowater
Excavate
Hounsfield scale
Nephrotome
TheraSphere
Operon