scholarly journals Relationship of Stress Test Findings to Anatomic or Functional Extent of Coronary Artery Disease Assessed by Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography-Derived Fractional Flow Reserve

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Demetrios Doukas ◽  
Sorcha Allen ◽  
Amy Wozniak ◽  
Siri Kunchakarra ◽  
Rina Verma ◽  
...  

Background. In the United States, functional stress testing is the primary imaging modality for patients with stable symptoms suspected to represent coronary artery disease (CAD). Coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) is excellent at identifying anatomic coronary artery disease (CAD). The application of computational fluid dynamics to coronary CTA allows fractional flow reserve (FFR) to be calculated noninvasively (FFRCT). The relationship of noninvasive stress testing to coronary CTA and FFRCT in real-world clinical practice has not been studied. Methods. We evaluated 206 consecutive patients at Loyola University Chicago with suspected CAD who underwent noninvasive stress testing followed by coronary CTA and FFRCT when indicated. Patients were categorized by stress test results (positive, negative, indeterminate, and equivocal). Duke treadmill score (DTS), METS, exercise duration, and chest pain with exercise were analyzed. Lesions ≥ 50 % stenosis were considered positive by coronary CTA. FF R CT < 0.80 was considered diagnostic of ischemia. Results. Two hundred and six patients had paired noninvasive stress test and coronary CTA/FFRCT results. The median time from stress test to coronary CTA was 49 days. Average patient age was 60.3 years, and 42% were male. Of the 206 stress tests, 75% were exercise (70% echocardiographic, 26% nuclear, and 4% EKG). There were no associations of stress test results with CAD > 50 % or FF R CT < 0.80 ( p = 0.927 and p = 0.910 , respectively). Of those with a positive stress test, only 30% (3/10) had CAD > 50 % and only 50% (5/10) had FF R CT < 0.80 . Chest pain with exercise did not correlate with CAD > 50 % or FF R CT < 0.80 ( p = 0.66 and p = 0.12 , respectively). There were no significant correlations between METS, DTS, or exercise duration and FFRCT ( r = 0.093 , p = 0.274 ; r = 0.012 , p = 0.883 ; and r = 0.034 , p = 0.680 ; respectively). Conclusion. Noninvasive stress testing, functional capacity, chest pain with exercise, and DTS are not associated with anatomic or functional CAD using a diagnostic strategy of coronary CTA and FFRCT.

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline Ball ◽  
Gianluca Pontone ◽  
Mark Rabbat

Fractional flow reserve (FFR) derived from coronary CTA datasets (FFRCT) is a major advance in cardiovascular imaging that provides critical information to the Heart Team without exposing the patient to excessive risk. Previously, invasive FFR measurements obtained during a cardiac catheterization have been demonstrated to reduce contrast use, number of stents, and cost of care and improve outcomes. However, there are barriers to routine use of FFR in the cardiac catheterization suite. FFRCT values are obtained using resting 3D coronary CTA images using computational fluid dynamics. Several multicenter clinical trials have demonstrated the diagnostic superiority of FFRCT over traditional coronary CTA for the diagnosis of functionally significant coronary artery disease. This review provides a background of FFR, technical aspects of FFRCT, clinical applications and interpretation of FFRCT values, clinical trial data, and future directions of the technology.


Author(s):  
Franck Paganelli ◽  
Marine Gaudry ◽  
Jean Ruf ◽  
Régis Guieu

Abstract Adenosine is an endogenous nucleoside that plays a major role in the physiology and physiopathology of the coronary artery system, mainly by activating its A2A receptors (A2AR). Adenosine is released by myocardial, endothelial, and immune cells during hypoxia, ischaemia, or inflammation, each condition being present in coronary artery disease (CAD). While activation of A2AR improves coronary blood circulation and leads to anti-inflammatory effects, down-regulation of A2AR has many deleterious effects during CAD. A decrease in the level and/or activity of A2AR leads to: (i) lack of vasodilation, which decreases blood flow, leading to a decrease in myocardial oxygenation and tissue hypoxia; (ii) an increase in the immune response, favouring inflammation; and (iii) platelet aggregation, which therefore participates, in part, in the formation of a fibrin-platelet thrombus after the rupture or erosion of the plaque, leading to the occurrence of acute coronary syndrome. Inflammation contributes to the development of atherosclerosis, leading to myocardial ischaemia, which in turn leads to tissue hypoxia. Therefore, a vicious circle is created that maintains and aggravates CAD. In some cases, studying the adenosinergic profile can help assess the severity of CAD. In fact, inducible ischaemia in CAD patients, as assessed by exercise stress test or fractional flow reserve, is associated with the presence of a reserve of A2AR called spare receptors. The purpose of this review is to present emerging experimental evidence supporting the existence of this adaptive adenosinergic response to ischaemia or inflammation in CAD. We believe that we have achieved a breakthrough in the understanding and modelling of spare A2AR, based upon a new concept allowing for a new and non-invasive CAD management.


2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi-Sheng Chao ◽  
Jennifer Horton

Computed tomography-derived fractional flow reserve (CT-FFR) may predict coronary artery disease or flow-limiting stenosis in adult patients with stable chest pain better than coronary CT angiography alone, based on the relevant studies in 2 systematic reviews. CT-FFR is associated with a decreased need for invasive coronary angiography and revascularization in adult patients with stable chest pain, based on findings from 1 systematic review. In the US settings, CT-FFR was dominant (i.e., less costly and more effective) compared to stress testing for the evaluation of low-risk stable chest pain, based on findings from 1 cost-effectiveness study.


Author(s):  
Ali Ahmad ◽  
Michal Shelly-Cohen ◽  
Michel T Corban ◽  
Dennis H Murphree ◽  
Takumi Toya ◽  
...  

Abstract Aims The current gold-standard comprehensive assessment of coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) is through a limited-access invasive catheterization lab procedure. We aimed to develop a point-of-care tool to assist clinical guidance in patients presenting with chest pain and/or an abnormal cardiac functional stress test and with non-obstructive coronary artery disease (NOCAD). Methods and Results This study included 1,893 NOCAD patients (&lt;50% angiographic stenosis) who underwent CMD evaluation as well as an ECG up to 1-year prior. Endothelial-independent CMD was defined by coronary flow reserve (CFR)≤2.5 in response to intracoronary adenosine. Endothelial-dependent CMD was defined by a maximal percent increase in coronary blood flow (%ΔCBF) ≤50% in response to intracoronary acetylcholine infusion. We trained algorithms to distinguish between the following outcomes: CFR ≤ 2.5, %ΔCBF ≤ 50, and the combination of both. Two classes of algorithms were trained, one depending on ECG waveforms as input, and another using tabular clinical data. Mean age was 51 ± 12 years and 66% were females (n = 1,257). AUC values ranged from 0.49–0.67 for all the outcomes. The best performance in our analysis was for the outcome CFR ≤ 2.5 with clinical variables. AUC and accuracy were 0.67 and 60%. When decreasing the threshold of positivity, sensitivity and NPV increased to 92% and 90% respectively, while specificity and PPV decreased to 25% and 29% respectively. Conclusion An AI-enabled algorithm may be able to assist clinical guidance by ruling out CMD in patients presenting with chest pain and/or an abnormal functional stress test. This algorithm needs to be prospectively validated in different cohorts.


2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 327-335 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natsumi Kuwahara ◽  
Yuki Tanabe ◽  
Teruhito Kido ◽  
Akira Kurata ◽  
Teruyoshi Uetani ◽  
...  

Abstract The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of the stenosis-related quantitative perfusion ratio (QPR) for detecting hemodynamically significant coronary artery disease (CAD). Twenty-seven patients were retrospectively enrolled. All patients underwent dynamic myocardial computed tomography perfusion (CTP) and coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) before invasive coronary angiography (ICA) measuring the fractional flow reserve (FFR). Coronary lesions with FFR ≤ 0.8 were defined as hemodynamically significant CAD. The myocardial blood flow (MBF) was calculated using dynamic CTP data, and CT-QPR was calculated as the CT-MBF relative to the reference CT-MBF. The stenosis-related CT-MBF and QPR were calculated using Voronoi diagram-based myocardial segmentation from coronary CTA data. The relationships between FFR and stenosis-related CT-MBF or QPR and the diagnostic performance of the stenosis-related CT-MBF and QPR were evaluated. Of 81 vessels, FFR was measured in 39 vessels, and 20 vessels (51%) in 15 patients were diagnosed as hemodynamically significant CAD. The stenosis-related CT-QPR showed better correlation (r = 0.70, p < 0.05) than CT-MBF (r = 0.56, p < 0.05). Sensitivity and specificity for detecting hemodynamically significant CAD were 95% and 58% for CT-MBF, and 95% and 90% for CT-QPR, respectively. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for the CT-QPR was significantly higher than that for the CT-MBF (0.94 vs. 0.79; p < 0.05). The stenosis-related CT-QPR derived from dynamic myocardial CTP and coronary CTA showed a better correlation with FFR and a higher diagnostic performance for detecting hemodynamically significant CAD than the stenosis-related CT-MBF.


2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ji Hyun Lee ◽  
Asim Rizvi ◽  
Fay Y Lin ◽  
James K Min ◽  
◽  
...  

Recent advances in computed tomographic technology have contributed towards improving coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) in determining the severity of coronary artery disease anatomically. Although the viability of CCTA has most often been confined to anatomical assessment, recent development has enabled evaluation of the haemodynamic significance of coronary artery disease. In light of this, CCTA-derived fractional flow reserve (FFRCT), a novel imaging modality, now permits the physiological assessment of coronary artery disease. To date, several studies have documented the diagnostic performance of FFRCT, and more trials are being performed that will further substantiate this technique. The present paper provides an overview and discussion of the available evidence for FFRCT in the clinical setting as well as potential future directions of FFRCT.


2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (04) ◽  
pp. 250-255
Author(s):  
Mauro Gitto ◽  
Francesco Gentile ◽  
Alexandra N. Nowbar ◽  
Alaide Chieffo ◽  
Rasha Al-Lamee

AbstractIschemia and no obstructive coronary arteries (INOCA) is a common clinical presentation, with a variety of causes that are often not fully investigated in routine clinical practice. The goal of our study was to characterize a real-world population of patients with INOCA, with a deeper focus on symptoms and stress test findings. The study population consisted of 435 patients who underwent diagnostic coronary angiography for anginal symptoms and/or evidence of myocardial ischemia at non-invasive imaging. In all patients angiography demonstrated nonobstructive coronary artery disease (CAD, less than 30% luminal diameter stenosis or fractional flow reserve > 0.8 and/or instantaneous wave-free ratio  > 0.89). Fifty-four percent of the patients were women. Atypical clinical presentation was more common in women (59.5 vs. 49.5%, p = 0.037). Women were more likely to have normal coronary arteries than men (41.8 vs. 16.2%, p < 0.001), and less likely than men to have hemodynamically non-significant CAD (32.1 vs. 55.1%, p < 0.001). No significant correlation between typicality of symptoms and evidence of ischemia was found in those patients (244/435, 56.1%) who had either dobutamine stress echocardiography or electrocardiogram stress test. INOCA is a common clinical condition, prevalent in women often presenting with atypical symptoms.


2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
J.-F Argacha ◽  
B Vandeloo ◽  
T Mizukami ◽  
K Tanaka ◽  
D Belsack ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Guidelines recommend functional assessment in stable coronary artery disease (CAD) to guide further treatment. Computed tomography fractional flow reserve (FFRCT) has been proposed for non-invasive assessment of stable CAD. A cutoff value of FFRCT ≥0.8 has been shown cost-effective, and allowing to avoid inappropriate invasive coronary angiography (ICA). However, no results from real-life hospital registries have been reported yet. Purpose We aimed to compare the impact of FFRCT with conventional coronary CT angiography (CTA) for detecting obstructive CAD in the daily practice of a tertiary referral hospital. Methods Patients referred to CTA for suspected CAD between 2013 and 2017 were included. FFRCT analysis was introduced in 2015 and performed at the discretion of the radiologist by Heartflow Inc. FFRCT was considered abnormal if FFR was <0.8 in at least one of 3 main vessels. Obstructive CAD was defined on both CTA and ICA by the presence of a stenosis ≥50% in at least one of 3 main vessels, or an invasive FFR<0.8. Propension to perform a FFRCT was modeled, based on gender, cardiovascular risk factors, completion of stress test and echocardiography and presence of a lesion of more than 50% stenosis on CTA. A logistic regression adjusted for the propensity score was then performed on the use of ICA, the presence of significant CAD on ICA and revascularization rate either by PCI or CABG. Results 2906 patients (50% of male, 56±12) were included in this registry. Diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia and smoking were present in respectively 12.3, 30.5, 27.5 and 9% of patients. A stress ECG and a transthoracic echo were obtained in respectively 37.1 and 49% of patients. FFRCT was performed in 757 (26%) and was abnormal in 323 (42.7%) of the patients. An ICA was performed in 622 (21.4%) patients and was abnormal in 292 (46.9%). After propensity score weighting, FFRCT was associated with an increase in ICA (OR=1.58, 95% CI: 1.23–2.02, p<0.01). There were no significant changes regarding ICA showing obstructive CAD with FFRCT (OR=1.13, 95% CI: 0.78–1.66, p=0.5) but a trend towards an increase of revascularization (OR=1.48, 95% CI: 0.98–2.24, p=0.06). In patient undergoing an ICA, a FFRCT ≥0.8 was decreasing the presence of significant CAD (OR=0.27, 95% CI: 0.16–0.48, p<0.001), whereas a FFRCT <0.8 increased the rate of revascularization (OR=24.7, 95% CI: 12.3–49.7, p<0.001). Conclusion These real life data showed that, adding FFRCT to conventional CTA, and interpreting only the numerical values of FFRCT, would increase the use of ICA in patients suspected of CAD. A trend towards an increase in revascularization was also observed. Therefore, another index than the minimal FFRCT should be used to improve discrimination regarding the presence of obstructive CAD. However, normal values of FFRCT were strong predictors of the absence of significant CAD, and abnormal values of FFRCT for the need of a revascularization.


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