Videodensitometric quantitative angiography after coronary balloon angioplasty, compared to edge-detection quantitative angiography and intracoronaryultrasound imaging

Aims To assess the value of videodensitometric quantification of the corona ry lumen after angioplasty by comparison to two other techniques of coronar y artery lumen quantification. Methods and Results Videodensitometric quantitative angiography, edge detec tion quantitative angiography and 30 MHz intracoronary ultrasound imaging w ere performed after successful balloon angioplasty in 161 patients. Lumen c ross-sectional areas were mean (SD) 2.82 (1.15) mm(2) for edge detection qu antitative angiography, 3.67 (1.5) mm(2) for videodensitometric quantitativ e angiography and 5.32 (1.75) mm(2) for intracoronary ultrasound imaging (P <0.001). The correlation between intracoronary ultrasound imaging and video densitometric quantitative angiography (r=0.44) was almost similar to that of intracoronary ultrasound imaging and edge detection quantitative angiogr aphy (r=0.47). The correlation between the three techniques was not signifi cantly influenced by the presence of ruptures and dissections on intracoron ary ultrasound imaging. The absence of calcifications improved the correlat ion between videodensitometry and intracoronary ultrasound imaging. Conclusions The luminal dimensions as measured by videodensitometric quanti tative angiography matched intracoronary ultrasound imaging derived dimensi ons more closely than edge detection quantitative angiography. Videodensito metric quantitative angiography represents an on-line alternative to intrac oronary ultrasound imaging for quantitative analysis regardless of the degr ee of vessel damage. (Eur Heart J 2000; 21: 654-661) (C) 2000 The European Society of Cardiology.