title: Regional volumetric coronary blood flow measurement by digital angiography: in vivo validation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  There are well-known limitations to the use of visual estimation to assess the severity of coronary artery disease and luminal stenosis. This is especially true in the case of an intermediate coronary lesion (30%-70% diameter stenosis), where coronary arteriography is very limited in distinguishing ischemia-producing intermediate coronary lesions from non-ischemia-producing ones. For this reason, a functional measure of stenosis severity is desirable. The goal of this study is to validate a video densitometry technique for quantitative assessment of regional volumetric coronary blood flow.
  
  
  METHODS
  Coronary arteriography was performed in eight swine (body weight, 25-50 kg) after power injection of contrast material into the left main coronary artery. Phase-matched subtracted images were used to quantify regional coronary blood flow using a video densitometry technique. The in vivo regional flow measurements were validated using a transit time ultrasound flow probe.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 44 measurements, the ultrasound (Q(US)) and video densitometry (Q(VD)) regional flow measurements were related by Q(VD) = 0.98 Q(US) + 0.11 mL/min (r = 0.98). The results of mean regional coronary blood flow measurements for repeated coronary arteriograms of the first (Q(VD1)) and second (Q(VD2)) measured flows were related by Q(VD1) = 1.04 Q(VD2) + 0.05 mL/min (r = 0.97).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A video densitometry technique for quantification of regional coronary blood flow was validated using a swine animal model. The results demonstrated the feasibility and potential utility of the video densitometry technique for accurate measurement of regional coronary blood flow, in vivo. This study provides an angiographic method that can potentially be used to evaluate intermediate coronary lesions during routine coronary arteriography.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiological Sciences, Medical Sciences I, B-140, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697 USA. SYMOLLOI@UCI.EDU
authors.forename: Sabee
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Molloi
authors.forename: Yifang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Ghassan S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Kassab
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D015901:Angiography, Digital Subtraction; D000818:Animals; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D001810:Blood Volume; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage; D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000379:methods; D003326:Coronary Circulation; D013552:Swine; D014741:Video Recording
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media