VARIABILITY OF HUMAN CORONARY-ARTERY GEOMETRY - AN ANGIOGRAPHIC STUDYOF THE LEFT ANTERIOR DESCENDING ARTERIES OF 30 AUTOPSY HEARTS

A computer-based system is described to measure objectively the geomet ric parameters of arteries from pairs of projection angiograms. This t echnique, which employs backprojection to define the vessel axes in 3- D space, was used to obtain selected parameters of coronary artery geo metry from radiographic images of autopsy hearts. Results of the first 30 cases are presented, focussing on the distribution of the geometri c parameters of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) and its first two major branches. The derived parameters include the angl e between the left circumflex artery and the LAD; the angles between t he LAD and its early diagonal and septal perforator branches; distance s between branch points; and tortuosity. The geometric parameters vary considerably, presumably contributing to a corresponding variability in local hemodynamic and mechanical stresses. Most parameters are unco rrelated. One exception is the angle at the origin of the second diago nal branch, which is positively correlated (p < 0.01) with the distanc e between the ostia of the first two diagonal vessels; this correlatio n could reflect the existence of ''target'' perfusion regions. No rela tion between geometric parameters and age or gender was seen. In this sample, blacks had a larger angle at the left main bifurcation than wh ites (p < 0.05).