Quantification of coronary artery lumen volume by digital angiography - Invivo validation

Background-Coronary artery lumen volume may potentially have several advant ages over the commonly used variables, such as percent stenosis or minimal lumen diameter, in the assessment of coronary artery disease. The goal of t his study is to validate a quantitative assessment of lumen volume using a video densitometry technique. Methods and Results-Coronary arteriography was performed in 9 swine (body w eight 20 to 55 kg) after power injection of contrast material (2 mL/s for 3 seconds) into the left main coronary artery. Phase-matched subtracted imag es were used to quantify regional lumen volume by a video densitometry tech nique. The in vivo volume measurements were validated by a polymer cast of the coronary arterial tree made at physiological pressure. The measured cas t volume (Vc) and video densitometric regional lumen volume (V-VD) were rel ated by V-VD= 1.06 V-C-0.01 mL (r=0.99). The root mean square and systemati c errors for these measurements were 17% and -3%, respectively. Conclusions-A video densitometry technique for quantification of coronary l umen volume was validated both in vitro and in vivo in a swine animal model . The present results demonstrated the feasibility and potential utility of the video densitometry technique for accurate measurement of regional lume n volume in vivo. This study contributes to the understanding of the angiog raphic methods used for the assessment of coronary artery disease and indic ates that this technique can potentially be used for quantification of diff use coronary artery disease during routine coronary arteriography.