Estimation of the flow resistances exerted in coronary arteries using a vessel length-based method.
Flow resistances exerted in the coronary arteries are the key parameters for the image-based computer simulation of coronary hemodynamics. The resistances depend on the anatomical characteristics of the coronary system. A simple and reliable estimation of the resistances is a compulsory procedure to compute the fractional flow reserve (FFR) of stenosed coronary arteries, an important clinical index of coronary artery disease. The cardiac muscle volume reconstructed from computed tomography (CT) images has been used to assess the resistance of the feeding coronary artery (muscle volume-based method). In this study, we estimate the flow resistances exerted in coronary arteries by using a novel method. Based on a physiological observation that longer coronary arteries have more daughter branches feeding a larger mass of cardiac muscle, the method measures the vessel lengths from coronary angiogram or CT images (vessel length-based method) and predicts the coronary flow resistances. The underlying equations are derived from the physiological relation among flow rate, resistance, and vessel length. To validate the present estimation method, we calculate the coronary flow division over coronary major arteries for 50 patients using the vessel length-based method as well as the muscle volume-based one. These results are compared with the direct measurements in a clinical study. Further proving the usefulness of the present method, we compute the coronary FFR from the images of optical coherence tomography.
Department of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering, Kangwon National University, Kangwondaehak-gil, Chuncheon, Kangwon-do, 200-701, Republic of Korea.
Kyung Eun
KE
Lee
Department of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering, Kangwon National University, Kangwondaehak-gil, Chuncheon, Kangwon-do, 200-701, Republic of Korea.
Soon-Sung
SS
Kwon
Department of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering, Kangwon National University, Kangwondaehak-gil, Chuncheon, Kangwon-do, 200-701, Republic of Korea.
Yoon Cheol
YC
Ji
Department of Cardiology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Ulsan, Republic of Korea.
Eun-Seok
ES
Shin
Department of Internal Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Jin-Ho
JH
Choi
Department of Physiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Sung Joon
SJ
Kim
Department of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering, Kangwon National University, Kangwondaehak-gil, Chuncheon, Kangwon-do, 200-701, Republic of Korea. ebshim@kangwon.ac.kr.
Eun Bo
EB
Shim
D003198:Computer Simulation; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000503:physiopathology; D003326:Coronary Circulation / Q000502:physiology*; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000502:physiology*; D006321:Heart / Q000502:physiology; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology
Coronary fractional flow reserve; Estimation of coronary resistances; Vessel length-based method