Espen Holte1, Johnny Vegsundvåg2, Knut Hegbom3, Torstein Hole4, Rune Wiseth5. 1. Department of Internal Medicine, Ålesund Hospital, Ålesund, Norway Department of Cardiology, Trondheim University Hospital, 7006 Trondheim, Norway espen.holte@stolav.no es-holte@online.no. 2. Department of Internal Medicine, Ålesund Hospital, Ålesund, Norway. 3. Department of Cardiology, Trondheim University Hospital, 7006 Trondheim, Norway. 4. Department of Internal Medicine, Ålesund Hospital, Ålesund, Norway Medical Faculty, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway. 5. Department of Cardiology, Trondheim University Hospital, 7006 Trondheim, Norway Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway.
Abstract
AIMS: Our aim was to determine the feasibility and accuracy of diagnosing significant coronary artery stenoses using peak stenotic to prestenotic velocity ratio (pSPVR) measurements when compared with results from quantitative coronary angiography and coronary flow velocity reserve (CFVR) assessed by transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). METHODS AND RESULTS: One hundred and eight patients scheduled for coronary angiography were studied using transthoracic Doppler echocardiography. Stenoses were identified by local colour aliasing by colour flow Doppler, and further evaluated by pSPVR, using a pSPVR of ≥2.0 as a cut-off for significant stenosis. When pSPVR could not be measured, local mosaic coronary flow pattern at Nyquist limit ≥0.48 m/s was used. Sixty-five lesions suggestive of stenosis were found by TTE. Combining findings of pSPVR ≥2.0 and local mosaic flow at Nyquist limit ≥0.48 m/s, the sensitivity and specificity of demonstrating significant stenoses (diameter stenosis, 50-99%) in the left main coronary artery (LM), left anterior descending coronary (LAD), left circumflex coronary (Cx), and right coronary artery (RCA) were 75 and 98%, 74 and 95%, 40 and 87%, and 34 and 98%, respectively. The pSPVR did not differ significantly between arteries with reduced and normal CFVR, with a cut-off of CFVR <2.0. CONCLUSIONS: Findings of pSPVR ≥2.0 or localized colour flow aliasing are useful in the non-invasive diagnosis of significant coronary disease in the three main coronary arteries, with high specificity for detecting significant stenoses. These findings showed high sensitivity for identifying significant stenoses in the LM and LAD, but showed lower ability to detect those lesions in the Cx and RCA. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved.
AIMS: Our aim was to determine the feasibility and accuracy of diagnosing significant coronary artery stenoses using peak stenotic to prestenotic velocity ratio (pSPVR) measurements when compared with results from quantitative coronary angiography and coronary flow velocity reserve (CFVR) assessed by transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). METHODS AND RESULTS: One hundred and eight patients scheduled for coronary angiography were studied using transthoracic Doppler echocardiography. Stenoses were identified by local colour aliasing by colour flow Doppler, and further evaluated by pSPVR, using a pSPVR of ≥2.0 as a cut-off for significant stenosis. When pSPVR could not be measured, local mosaic coronary flow pattern at Nyquist limit ≥0.48 m/s was used. Sixty-five lesions suggestive of stenosis were found by TTE. Combining findings of pSPVR ≥2.0 and local mosaic flow at Nyquist limit ≥0.48 m/s, the sensitivity and specificity of demonstrating significant stenoses (diameter stenosis, 50-99%) in the left main coronary artery (LM), left anterior descending coronary (LAD), left circumflex coronary (Cx), and right coronary artery (RCA) were 75 and 98%, 74 and 95%, 40 and 87%, and 34 and 98%, respectively. The pSPVR did not differ significantly between arteries with reduced and normal CFVR, with a cut-off of CFVR <2.0. CONCLUSIONS: Findings of pSPVR ≥2.0 or localized colour flow aliasing are useful in the non-invasive diagnosis of significant coronary disease in the three main coronary arteries, with high specificity for detecting significant stenoses. These findings showed high sensitivity for identifying significant stenoses in the LM and LAD, but showed lower ability to detect those lesions in the Cx and RCA. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved.