Relationship between the geometry and quantitative morphology of the left anterior descending coronary artery.

The well established 'systemic' risk factors for atherosclerosis can explain only half of the variability in its occurrence. To account for some of the remaining variability, it was suggested that certain geometric features of atherosclerosis-prone segments ('geometric risk factors') can increase the likelihood of disease locally through their influence on the hemodynamic environment of the vessel wall. Since this mediation might elicit early morphological changes in the artery, relationships were sought between the histomorphometry and axial geometry of the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary arteries of 15 angiographically lesion-free human hearts obtained at autopsy. Geometric variables were quantified by image processing of multiplane angiograms of the hearts, and morphometry was obtained from transverse histologic sections at 91 sites. The results show that: (1) total intimal and medial area are negatively correlated with the distance from the site to the origin of the LAD; (2) the angle of the branch immediately proximal to the site is positively correlated with most of the intimal and medial variables, and appears to have a major influence on the intima; (3) the area ratio of the immediately proximal branch is correlated primarily with medial variables; and (4) local curvature is correlated only with the maximum thickness of the intima and media. These observations suggest that there are significant relationships between arterial geometry and vascular morphology prior to the development of frank disease.