Vascular wall shear stress in clinical practice.

Wall shear stress is a fluid dynamic quantity that is gradually emerging as a potentially important factor of coronary atherosclerosis. Methods, therefore, of estimation of shear stress in the arterial system are of clinical relevance. The purpose of this review is to define wall shear stress, review the various methods that have been used for its assessment in human circulation, and examine the methodological limitations and applicability of each method in clinical practice.