title: Microvascular angina: assessment of coronary blood flow, flow reserve, and metabolism.
abstract: Microvascular angina (MVA) is an often overlooked cause of significant chest pain. Decreased myocardial perfusion secondary to dysregulated blood flow in the microvasculature can occur in the presence or absence of obstructive epicardial coronary artery disease. The corresponding myocardial ischemia and angina is now a well-established diagnosis, made by detection of decreased coronary flow reserve (CFR). Although low CFR and MVA are associated with poor prognosis, there is initial evidence for reversibility of this abnormal vascular regulation with aggressive medical therapy and control of associated risk factors. Current assessment of MVA is carried out predominantly during cardiac catheterization; however, noninvasive techniques to assess CFR are being developed, including PET, MRI, and CT modalities. Quantitative tracer techniques or imaging of metabolic disturbances reflecting ischemia will likely enhance diagnostic approaches for such patients as well as allow more frequent monitoring of response to therapy.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Section of Interventional Cardiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA. mvesely@medicine.umaryland.edu
authors.forename: Mark R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Vesely
authors.forename: Vasken
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Dilsizian
mesh_terms: D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D003326:Coronary Circulation; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D017566:Microvascular Angina / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D055806:Microvessels / Q000473:pathology; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D015425:Myocardial Reperfusion; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed