Assessment of a novel angiographic image stabilization system for percutaneous coronary intervention.
BACKGROUND
Optimization of coronary images for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) remains difficult due to cardiac motion throughout the respiratory and cardiac cycles. We tested a novel system to stabilize angiographic images at the region of interest in order to assist during PCI.


METHODS
Patients undergoing PCI to the right coronary artery (RCA) (group 1, n = 22) or complex PCI (group 2, n = 16) were prospectively enrolled and the angiographic image sequences of patients who died suddenly of confirmed or presumed stent thrombosis following PCI (group 3, n = 16) were retrospectively reviewed. All image sequences were analyzed off-line by three cardiologists before and after image stabilization for accuracy of stent placement, presence of residual edge dissection, and adequacy of procedural outcome.


RESULTS
Image stabilization was successful in 100% of cases in a mean time of 95 +/- 71 seconds and was considered to be helpful in 13.6% of group 1, in 18.3% of group 2, and in 10% of group 3 cases. There was good correlation between observers with a kappa statistic of 0.85 to 1.0 for all observations. However, there was no difference in the reviewers' opinions of stent placement, presence of edge dissection, or adequacy of procedural result when comparing the standard angiographic views and the stabilized images. In particular, no previously unrecognized edge dissections were apparent in group 3 with stabilized display.


CONCLUSIONS
Image stabilization centered on the region of interest was considered helpful in a small subset of patients, particularly the complex PCI patients. However, no differences in objective parameters could be demonstrated.
Boyle
Andrew J
AJ
Division of Cardiology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21287, USA.
Chan
Michael Y
MY
Dib
Joud
J
Kapur
Navin K
NK
Kraft
Sandra
S
Vaillant
Regis
R
Whiting
James S
JS
Resar
Jon R
JR
D000368:Aged; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015607:Stents